The former president of the Panama Society for Public Health explained to the media that public health is not only medical care, but also the environment in which the person develops and their living conditions – food, work, housing.
In his opinion, the lack of citizens with a stable job means a lack of social security, a very precarious situation in every respect.
He also emphasized environmental degradation and its negative impact on public health, citing as an example the exploitation of mining and its impact on communities.
Betts, in his statements to La Estrella de Panamá newspaper, understood that open pit metal mining poses a very serious public health challenge, particularly through the contamination of water systems
On the other hand, he stressed the importance of strengthening basic services, recalling that Panama had been a pioneer and had made great strides in this regard.
He recalled in this context the so-called health committees, a health policy in collaboration with the community, committed to prevention and which, led by the pediatrician José Renán Esquivel, has gained international recognition, an approach abandoned after the military invasion of the United States, which were unified in 1989, he noted.
He also stressed the importance of promoting a paradigm shift in health that includes preventive medicine, educational aspects and scientific research as key issues.
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