Every time I review the functions performed by the National Health Superintendence, I cannot stop thinking about how this entity, head of the Inspection, Surveillance and Control System of the General Social Security Health System, will be able to organize efficiently, if it should be in charge of topics such as:

1. the coordination and execution of inspection, surveillance and control policies, in terms of technical and financial standards,

2. flow and administration of resources, administration of inherent risks to the system,

3. health activities of insurance companies,

4. compliance with user rights, and guarantee mechanisms for their protection,

5. issue instructions to their supervised,

6. to exercise the jurisdictional and conciliation faculty, rent monopoly and application of resources of gambling industry, authorization of procedures to their watched ones,

7. advance processes of forced administrative intervention and liquidation of companies that administer plans of benefits, providers of health services and

8. Technical and administrative intervention of Territorial Health Directions, among many others.

The limitations that this organism faces when wanting to fulfill its functions are numerous

This is reflected in the limited presence in the territories, delayed responses to health users, silence in response to requests and cries for help from health service providers, an absolutely worn out image, which no longer represents authority, nor inspires the respect for those in the sector who are in a dominant position.

A few days ago, I was listening to the National Health Superintendent, Fabio Aristizábal, in an intervention in which he stated, precisely the multiple shortcomings that this important body currently presents, and he referred specifically to the decrease of the budget for the following period to guarantee the functioning in the conditions in which it is occurring.

By combining the three elements, functions, limitations and less money, the expectations that are generated against what is expected of the National Health Superintendence, cannot be the best.

How is it that, if it has been identified that one of the main reasons for the deficiencies of the health sector is the lack of Inspection, Surveillance and Control, is thinking of allocating fewer financial resources? If it has not been able to function as he should, with what he has, much less will he do it if a part is taken away from him.

In good time at the beginning of this week, an amendment proposal was submitted to Bill No. 052/2018 Chamber - 059/2018 Senate, before the Congress of the Republic, to increase the operating and investment resources of the National Superintendence of Health, for the 2019 period, which among other things would allow regional strengthening, receiving important support from the representatives, who recognize in this entity a strong ally for the stabilization and improvement of the health system.

"Since it is not possible to continue issuing norms and being born daily obligations for the watched people, without there being the strong teeth that are required to enforce what is regulated"

In this moment of transition in which we sometimes want the adjustments and changes that are needed to be made more quickly, there is still the hope that what is coming will definitely be to improve, because a conscience has been awakened among almost all the actors that it is not possible to continue in the same way, on the same line, with the same practices.

In short, if I think we are many who think that we must change, so that things are different