The meeting took place in the context of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Petro asked to discuss the issue of patents and technology transfer in health matters.

During the meeting, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), accompanied by the director of Health and Multilateral Alliances of the organization, Gaudenz Silberschmidt, invited the Colombian head of state to participate in the 76th World Health Assembly to be held next May in Geneva.

The government of Gustavo Petro, the first progressive and left-wing government in this South American country, has among its objectives for change to implement a health reform that guarantees the right to health for the entire population.

On January 14, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (Minsalud) provided new details about the reform during an event in Villavicencio, capital of the department of Meta.

According to Carolina Corcho, head of the portfolio, the health system should be understood as an comprehensive model that prevents disease and responds to it through an effective service, which is influenced by other factors that have an impact on the quality of life of Colombians.

We want health to reach the home, the educational institution, that people do not have to travel, that they are attended as close as possible to where they live; the challenge ahead of us is for the model to go beyond prevention,’ said the Minister of Minsalud.

This means that the human talent in health must reach the territories doing promotion, prevention, under the resolution components presented in the reform so that doctors can deliver treatments or refer the patient to specialized services immediately, in case they are required.

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