Health

MSP to Deal with Vázquez Statement

Monday, 26 July 2010 09:53

The MSP (Ministry of Public Health) will hold a meeting this afternoon to discuss the statement by former President Tabaré Vázquez regarding the current regime’s plans to loosen some of the tobacco controls.

Vázquez said that Uruguay cannot take a step backwards in the fight against tobacco usage, and voiced his opposition to the initiative by Frente Amplio Executive Jorge Brovetto. Vázquez warned that he will not support any of the measures that current President José Mujica is sponsoring related to loosening tobacco control.

The government wants to avoid a negative court judgment initiated in February by Phillip Morris, where they want to market several different tobacco products under the same brand name. The other point of contention is the upcoming plan to reduce the maximum permissible percentage of advertising on cigarette cartons from 80% to 65%.

(www.observa.com.uy, July 26, 2010)

Government Prohibited Free Samples of Psychotropic Drugs

Friday, 23 July 2010 10:12

The Executive Power issued a decree aimed at preventing the abuse of antidepressants and anxiolytics, and for that banned private laboratories to give away free samples of psychotropic drugs to doctors. The government decree also prohibits the "encouragement to the prescription of medicines containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances and professional advertising of this drugs with subliminal or associative messages."

This measure generated reactions from the Psychiatry Society of Uruguay. "This decree comes rather out of date. In these times, psychiatry schools tend not to over-dose. On the contrary, there is a tendency to minimize prescription. There were times in which scholars recommended high doses. But this is not the case today" said the director of the society, Vicente Pardo.

(www.observa.com.uy, July 23, 2010)

Lower Suicide Rate Sought

Friday, 16 July 2010 09:32

According to data released by the Ministry of Public Health yesterday (National Day for the Prevention of Suicide), approximately 600 people take their lives each year in Uruguay.

The data presented in the Palacio de las Leyes indicated that the suicide rate affected 18% of the population last year. Uruguay ranks with Guyana, Cuba, and France as the countries with the highest suicide rate. In Uruguay, the rate is higher among men, but more women than men unsuccessfully attempt suicide.

The Executive Branch announced a series of measures aimed at decreasing the suicide rate. A national register would be created that would collect data from hospitals, doctors, and EMT workers. Minister of Public Health Daniel Olesker said that from now on, any person attempting suicide would be subjected to a mandatory 6-month period of psychiatric treatment.

He added that “First of all, the problem is to admit the problem, because it affects the health and activity of people. Secondly, there are multiple causes, and it can’t be resolved with just one action. An inter-institutional policy is necessary. Thirdly, a mechanism to track and collect data is needed. Additionally, therapeutic groups for relatives and friends of suicide victims and attemptees need to be created.

(www.espectador.com, July 16, 2010)

Work Stoppage in the Private Health Sector

Wednesday, 14 July 2010 09:13

Due to the guidelines released by the government Council of Wages, the Union of Non-Medical Employees will conduct a partial work stoppage today from 8:00am till 3:00pm. PIT-CNT (largest union in Uruguay) is holding a board meeting to discuss a plan of action.

The stoppage announced by FUS (Uruguayan Federation of Health) will occur between 8:00am and 3:00pm in Montevideo, whereas unions in the rest of the country can decide their individual schedules. In Montevideo the strikers will meet at the Obelisk in the morning and march to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, where a speech against the Executive wage guidelines will be given.

PIT-CNT will hold a meeting at 9:00am to define a plan of action in regards to salary increases, regulation of labor contracts, participation in government budget planning, and management reform. The meeting coincides with the government plan to reform the public servant statutes.

(www.elpais.com.uy, 14 de Julio de 2010)

Quality of Air in Montevideo

Thursday, 08 July 2010 09:43

The quality of air in Montevideo varies between very good, good, and acceptable, according to data released by the government for the week of June 27 through July 3. In the Center, La Teja, and Portones de Carrasco the air quality was “very good”, while in Prado, Curva de Maroñas, and Colón the air was “good”. The quality in Ciudad Vieja was “acceptable”, and no sampling was performed in Tres Cruces.

Results are released weekly, for the previous week, for information only. No forecasts are ever generated. The measurements are in conformance with the United Nations guidelines: solid particulate less than 10 microns, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and ozone.

(www.espectador.com, July 8, 2010)

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