Teachers from the Colombian department of Cauca (southwest), who for almost two weeks had occupied the entrance to the National Capitol in Bogotá to demand improvements in health care, ended their demonstration on Monday after reaching an agreement with the government, official sources reported.
Among the points agreed in the minutes, it is established that the Government “will submit to technical and scientific studies the proposals aimed at guaranteeing the effective provision of health services” both to educators in the department and to their families, detailed the Presidency in a statement.
“The teachers of Cauca have a serious problem in the health system”, recognized the presidential adviser for the Regions, Luis Fernando Velasco, while stressing that “the company which serves them does not meet the expectations of the teachers”.
The Ministries of the Interior, Education and Finance participated in the signing of this protocol putting an end to the dispute; the Presidential Council for the Regions and the Association of Instructors and Workers of Cauca (Asoinca).
MORE THAN A MONTH OF STRIKE
Although the occupation of the stairs that give access to the Senate and the House of Representatives took place on February 7 when the supplementary sessions began to study projects such as the National Development Plan 2022-2026 and health reforms , social security and labor, Asoinca had already declared an “unlimited strike” on January 16.
Among the demands of the demonstrators was the search for solutions to the poor care they receive from the head of the health services of this union in their territory, through a meeting with the heads of the portfolios of Health, Education and Labor .
“We don’t want any more deaths because of the terrible service of Cosmitet (private medical service provider)”, denounced the Association via its Twitter account.
Through this same social network, Asoinca also interviewed the Minister of Labor, Gloria Ramírez, and the directors of the Colombian Federation of Educators (Fecode) to ask them to go to the Plaza de Bolívar and give “the face to the teachers of the Cauca” instead of issuing “communications”.
The teachers also demanded a response from the authorities so that the complaints of corruption which they say exist in the health companies are addressed.