Africa-Press – Cape verde. From psychology, neuropsychology, speech therapy and other therapeutic forum health areas, they raise the need for reimbursement of the national social security system, as a way of guaranteeing access to health care for all. The reason is that, in the private sector, the INPS still does not share the cost of consultations, the treatment of which is generally long and costly, while the public system is unable to respond effectively to the existing demand.
In the case of psychology, clinical psychologist Suzy Chantre considers that, in the current context, there are no more reasons for the INPS not to contribute to the payment of services provided by the private health sector. This, when the demand and procedures needed by the population are greater than those available in the public health network.
“The very definition of health, as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of disease, by itself, is reason enough for mental health to be included in partnerships with private entities. for the purposes of sharing the costs of services”, he argues.
As an example, he exposes, a patient who is in the process of rehabilitation in physiotherapy due to a stroke, and due to the urgency of the case seeks private services, services covered by the INPS, can wait months to be accompanied by a psychologist, even when the clinical condition is a preponderant factor for the emergence of a mental illness.
“Without detracting from all the investment that has been made in the health sector, with placement of psychologists on all the islands, the truth is that the public service is still unable to respond to the demand of the population, hence the need for us to have another means of access to primary mental health care, aimed at people who need this care and not just those who can afford it”, explains the psychologist.
Increased demand after covid-19
This urgency in the contribution of psychology services by the INPS, according to him, became more evident after the health crisis, which also brought mental and psychiatric consequences, triggering cases of anxiety, depression, excessive alcohol consumption and bornout, among others, with psychological follow-up needs ranging from brief interventions to more complex, long-term psychotherapies.
Professionals of this class are, therefore, taking advantage of the momentum of the creation of the Order of Psychologists, to reinforce the appeal to the Government, whose decision involves changing the law in this matter.
According to the president of the Installation Committee of this Order, Denise Oliveira, despite not being a direct attribution of the professional organization, there is this concern and psychologists have positioned themselves in this sense, in view of the importance of mental health in the well-being and quality of life of the population.
“Especially because, as long as there is neglect in relation to the treatment of mental problems, as long as mental health is not seen as other health conditions, we are going to have serious impacts in terms of the development of satiety”, warns the psychologist.
First meeting with ERIS
The commission, according to Denise Oliveira, was invited to participate in the first meeting with the Independent Health Regulatory Entity (ERIS), which is in charge of regulating a proposed law that sets the prices for consultations in the private sector.
The second meeting, scheduled for the beginning of this month, should continue the collection of information, and serve to reinforce, with the entity, the appeal already made in the first meeting, with regard to sponsors and the need for
reimbursement.
According to this professional, if before the stigma on mental health was seen as one of the biggest obstacles to asking for help, today, the issue of accessibility to psychology consultations is occupying this place of concern.
“A contribution to psychology consultations will ensure greater accessibility, getting ever closer to achieving one of the objectives of sustainable development, which is health”, he guarantees, indicating that, in São Vicente, where he operates, the value of the consultation is around the 2500 escudos, for the first session, and 2,000 escudos for the following sessions, this amount may change slightly from clinic to clinic.
However, he recognizes, the value also varies between the islands. In Santiago, for example, the value is around 3 thousand escudos.
The treatment time for each patient will depend on several factors and on how they react to therapy, he informs, but there are cases that last for long periods, and may also need psychopharmacological treatment, that is, a combination with psychiatric consultations.
Neurological diseases: Beehive echoes parental claims
It is not new that the Association of Parents and Friends of Children and Young People with Special Needs – Colmeia, has been working on this issue, claiming the need for the INPS to contribute to consultations and treatments of a neurological nature, and beyond.
According to the president, Isabel Moniz, the INPS only participates in physiotherapy sessions, leaving other modalities at the mercy of the families’ conditions, which often cost half of the necessary treatment.
They are therapies that have to do with psychopedagogical monitoring, carried out by psychologists and neuropsychologists, but also in the area of audiology, which represent a “very big” burden for families, but are fundamental in the recovery of patients.
Therapy, he recalls, is done with follow-up consultations, which help with rehabilitation.
“A person with voice communication problems, for example, may need 20 speech therapy sessions, but can only afford five.
Or even neuropsychology consultations, these are sessions that must be given several times, but it is a burden for families and also for people who need other therapies or even psychological care”, he underlines.
This contribution, he emphasizes, is to help any citizen who needs answers that are not curative forum, to improve the quality of life and health.
“Disability is a condition, 87% of people who are in the condition of disability, it is not a disability from birth, but an acquired one. A person who suffers a stroke needs a doctor, but also needs rehabilitation, so these are claims that, over the years, we have been taking to the public authorities and requesting a legal approach”, says Isabel Moniz.
cool empty
At the INPS level, he recognizes, there is a legal void in relation to the coverage of these aspects of health, so the health system has to take steps in this direction, to also respond to these areas.
“This year we have already heard the Minister of Inclusion talking about the first steps to create these answers and the respective legal conditions.
This is what we aim for, together with families”, he reinforces, indicating the urgency of taking a position and taking action regarding these public policy measures in Cape Verde.
Colmeia currently works with a database of around 600 children and young people, of which 562 are flagged and receive some type of assistance, including children, young people and their families.
This institution joins this appeal, thinking of starting initiatives in this direction, in order to sensitize the public authorities in taking this decision, which has long been claimed.
ERIS starts to regulate prices practiced
Everything indicates that next March the question of regulating the prices charged by private health operators will be discussed in Parliament.
In 2022, the Council of Ministers approved a decree-law (Law No. 11 of 2022 of April 13) that establishes the maximum prices for healthcare offered by private establishments, which are now fixed and regulated by ERIS.
At the time, ERIS guaranteed that the regulation would bring benefits, both for users and operators, and also for the social security system.
This is because, as explained by the president of ERIDS, Eduardo Tavares, it will avoid, on the one hand, speculation as a factor restricting access to health care, and on the other, that the INPS has predictability and scope for intervention with greater equity and justice. in the treatment of its beneficiaries.
This law, however, did not please the Medical Association, which even presented a counter-proposal, without ever having had a response from the Government, as recently revealed by the president, Danielson Veiga, at the time of the celebration of the National Day of the Doctor.
Speaking to the press, Danielson Veiga underlined that it is necessary to invest in favor of those who work both in the public and private sector, referring that the Constitution of the Republic determines that our health system is based on both sectors, that is, mixed.
“It means that both have to have the same working conditions to be able to provide good health care”, he underlined.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
