BRIEFS. health

Policyholders reject unification

Jorge Fernández/la prensa

no!: Policyholders of the CSS rejected the unification of the health system yesterday during a referendum. 990567

A referendum conducted by the Asociación de Empleados de la Caja de Seguro Social (CSS) showed yesterday that those insured with the CSS do not support the unification of the services of the CSS and the Ministerio de Salud (Minsa).

The unification plan was adopted by the Concertación Nacional para el Desarrollo at the beginning of this year.

Partial results show that 7,991 participants voted against unification of the system and only 36 voted in favor.

"The referendum was conducted successfully," CSS's manager Priscila Vásquez said. She added that the majority of the votes came from Panama City. "Nurses, doctors and policyholders alike voted at the referendum," which was carried out at Minsa's CSS centers such as the Universidad de Panamá and the Complejo Hospitalario, she said. It was also conducted in some provinces like Colón, Coclé and Chiriquí.

Vásquez argued that the final result will be submitted to the Executive of the Asamblea Nacional and that "the message is clear enough: the people don't want to privatize the CSS."

In the early hours of Tuesday, members of the Minsa announced that they will discuss the creation of the law that will govern the health system in mid-April, when the project will be finally ready.

To date, the structure and the first article of the law have been approved.

Carlos Gálvez, a Minsa spokesman, said that the country's health system will continue to be discussed publicly.