Financial protection in health is a commitment by states to ensure their citizens equitable access to quality health services, avoiding that health care out-of-pocket spending creates financial imbalances in households and exposes them to catastrophic or impoverishing expenditures. In South America, the health reforms of the last 40 years, conditioned by the political will of their rulers, promoted changes in the organization and financing of their health systems; however, these have been insufficient, as most systems continue to be segmented, fragmented and underfunded, preventing them from ensuring effective financial protection. Thus, the recommendations of the World Health Organization to increase public spending on health above 6% of gross domestic product and reduce out-of-pocket spending below 20% of total health expenditure continue to be ignored.

Hemos querido dar inicio a los debates sobre la denominada ‘reforma de la salud’ con este Foro en el que participan distinguidos colegas exdecanos del CMP, dirigentes de la FMP y de partidos políticos. Saludo la participación de los destacados ponentes y la presencia de ustedes, presidentes de los cuerpos médicos de Lima Metropolitana y Callao, de las distintas organizaciones gremiales, de sociedades científicas y de la sociedad civil, Agradezco a todos por su asistencia, que demuestra el interés sobre este tema.