The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Colombia Business Council (USCBC) and the Global Initiative on Health and the Economy (GIHE) hosted a Public-Private Partnership Forum to Advance Resilient Health Systems in Colombia in Bogota, Colombia on August 10.
The event convened leaders from government, academia, civil society, and the business community to focus on the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a tool to strengthen the health of communities, and the role of the private sector in building more sustainable and resilient health systems.
The private sector is leading the charge in creating sustainable and resilient heath systems, and in this spotlight series, we hear from business leaders about their company’s impact in Colombia.
Today’s sponsor spotlight is on Rodrigo Gómez, General Manager for Roche Diagnostics Colombia
Q: How is your company contributing to advancing health in Colombia, especially in underserved communities?
With more than 125 years globally and 65 years in Colombia, we are a healthcare company not only committed to developing innovative healthcare solutions, but also to generating initiatives that promote prevention and increase access to accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment for Colombians, with a focus on pathologies with high public health impact, including those groups whose needs have been historically neglected.
Aware that this is an ambitious goal, we are working with various stakeholders to empower the population through educational programs on self-care and prevention, with the aim of reducing inequalities in access to health care and the burden of disease.
Q: Where does your company see the greatest opportunity for working in partnership with stakeholders to enhance sustainable access to health products and services?
Improving patient access to timely and high-quality diagnostics and treatments is a complex challenge that requires adjustments from public policy to the administrative and clinical pathways used by healthcare system users.
In this context, close collaboration between different stakeholders, such as government, public health associations, scientific and patient associations, technology providers and healthcare services, among others, represents a great opportunity to transform the healthcare system and deliver greater benefits to patients.
Q: What will be your company’s legacy in Colombia?
We are pioneers and champions of the concept of personalized healthcare, which has the potential to positively impact healthcare systems in terms of both disease burden and resource optimization. We are recognized not only for the development of diagnostic and pharmaceutical solutions, but also for powerful digital tools that enable us to provide valuable information for timely and accurate clinical decisions.
In this way, we strive every day to create value for the healthcare ecosystem and our patients, who are our inspiration and driving force.
As we work toward our ultimate goal of "doing now what patients need next," we hope to make valuable contributions to the continuous improvement of our health ecosystem, the sustainable development of the country and the well-being of society.
About the authors
Megan Bridges
Megan Bridges is Senior Manager for the Americas at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and supports the U.S.-Colombia Business Council, U.S.-Mexico Economic Council, U.S.-Canada Business Initiative, and Coalition for the Rule of Law in Global Markets.
