President Gustavo Petro expressed his proposal that Drogas La Rebaja become a public institution at the service of the most needy population in the country.
In this way Drugs the Discount, would be covering the entire national territory. During the event ‘The Government Listens’ in Paz de Río, Boyacá, the president called on officials to overcome fear and advance in this objective to reduce the cost of medicines.
«Drugs La Rebaja must go to the Ministry of Health. The domain is now extinguished, it belongs to the State, but at the service of the most needy population in the country, and it covers the entire country. So this effort is the beginning of the health reform”, affirmed President Petro.
In his speech, the president proposed three major programs in conjunction with the La Rebaja Drug Workers’ Cooperative. First, each Drogas La Rebaja point could become part of the primary care centers proposed in the health reform bill. Secondly, Petro urged the Minister of Health, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, to seek agreements, even at the international level, in order to offer cheaper medicines. And thirdly, he proposed articulating the production of vaccines for human beings with the Vecol company.
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President Petro stressed the importance of boosting vaccine production in Colombia, through Vecol, and using the existing companies in Drogas La Rebaja. He mentioned that, in the past, the National Institute of Health produced vaccines for humans, while Vecol handled vaccines for animals. Petro stressed the need to resume the production of vaccines for humans and, at the same time, maintain the production of vaccines for animals.
In addition, at the event ‘The Government Listens’, President Petro invited the Community Action Boards to prioritize the development of rural roads. He proposed that community actions assume the section of rural roads instead of technicians at the service of politicians, in order to promote the development of these roads of vital importance for rural communities.