Is equity of access to health care achievable in Latin America?

Equity is defined as the ability to impartially recognize the right of every person, a sense of justice and impartiality being its guiding principles. Access is the establishment of communication to obtain information or use of available resources. Therefore, from the social perspective, equity of access means equal rights to information and available resources. For equity of access to be attainable in Latin America or any other global region, it is necessary to take into account some fundamental principles that aim to ensure a health system is appropriate given the social, political, epidemiologic, and economic environment of its region. The establishment of a health budget should be linked to population necessities and regularly revised; decisions about health priorities should be based on necessities with a sufficient health care services structure that is effectively equipped to answer the health demand generated by the identification of these necessities, and based on coherent legislation supporting the decisions established in the health care arena. Coherent and humane treatment, as well as knowledge of a population’s specific health reality, cultural issues, and health necessities are also fundamental requisites to be taken into account to transform the concept of equity of access into something attainable. Access to health care, although it has to do with the same fundamental principle, varies depending on the perspective by which it is evaluated. From a patient’s perspective, access is to have his/her treatment delivered in the best way, with the best therapeutic options, and at the lowest possible cost— or at no cost through a public health care system. From a physician’s perspective, access to health care means service for all patients in a way that meets their treatment needs. For medical devices manufacturers, to improve access means to provide the market with innovative technologies that could benefit patients’ health results. In this article, analyses developed by specialists in equity of access to health care in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico are presented.