Abstract

LONDONO AGUDELO, Esteban. Chronic diseases and the unavoidable transformation of health systems in Latin America. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2017, vol.43, n.1, pp. 68-74. ISSN 0864-3466.

The burden of diseases and mortality from chronic conditions represents a significant challenge for health care systems worldwide, especially for middle and low income countries. Notwithstanding, the majority of health systems provide inadequate chronic care of these diseases. The present paper questions that a lot of global efforts aimed at improving the care of chronic diseases still responds to a vertical logics. On the basis of the evidence provided by the Cuban health system and that of other countries in Europe and Latin America, this paper puts forward the strategy of the primary health care as a feasible solution for improved approach to chronic diseases. The need of working for an international agenda that not only encourage the strengthening of health systems but also their transformation as well was stated. Given the magnitude and complexity of challenges ahead for the contemporary health systems, a triple transformation in the epistemological, operative and ethical fields is advocated.

Keywords : Health systems; chronic diseases; resilience; chronic care; primary health care; health systems strengthening.

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