Health minister praises rural immunization with controversial photo that sparks government complaints

In the past few hours, the photo of two nurses supporting the covid-19 vaccination in Colombia on horseback has gone viral on social media, but what is special is not their mode of transport, but where They cross. Aurora Gutierrez and Liliana Paramo, how the professionals were identified, had to cross, climb on the animals, for what appears to be a jagüey to get to Guamalito, a village under the jurisdiction of Arauquita (Arauca).

The image is shocking because the horses can barely stick their heads out of the water and the nurses cannot even see their paws. We understand that the weather was not very favorable and that it could rain at any time, which would have complicated the situation. On top of all this, one of the two women must have been aware of controlling the animal’s run, as she had her hands raised, holding the cellar in which the vaccine vials were refrigerated.

Of course, this image has elicited hundreds of different opinions, oscillating between admiration for the work of nurses and rejection of the conditions under which they have to work and the responsibility of the state in the situation.

Despite the latter, one of the first to highlight this work was the Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, who posted the photo on his Twitter account and ensured that Colombian medical staff were committed to carrying out the national plan of vaccination.

“Vaccinators Aurora Gutierrez and Liliana Paramo, crossing an estuary in the village of Guamalito in the Municipality of Arauquita, to bring a dose of hope. Our vaccinators make the almost impossible possible. Vaccinate against covid-19, life expectancy ”- Fernando Ruiz, Minister of Health.

While it is true that citizens agree to praise the work of nurses, about this publication there are also hundreds of reactions of rejection to a problem that has become more visible in the country since the start of the pandemic: the precariousness of the Colombian health system department. In addition, the lack of roads that connect rural areas, poverty and state neglect are reported.

This was written by some users:

“Romanticize poverty and the precariousness of the health system. Scoundrels “

“Here we see the Minister of Health and Social Protection idealizing the lack of a decent health system and the lack of social protection for many in Colombia. Total beauty “

There are even citizens who have complained about the use of the country’s means of air transport. Here, other controversies that were sparked during the current administration of President Iván Duque have come to light. Among the situations were mentioned the new helicopter that the government acquired in early June, which is valued at $ 12 million, and another episode that occurred in February of last year in which the first lady, María Juliana Ruiz, her three children, Luciana, Matías and Eloísa, and up to eight people used a presidential plane to attend the latter’s birthday party.

“For that there are no helicopters or planes? Just for family outings and drug trafficking? Minister, eat a lot of shit,” said an Internet user in the networks.

Recall that until Saturday, June 26, 11:59 p.m., a total of 16,365,857 doses of the vaccine against covid-19 had already been applied in Colombia. According to the same report, the number of fully vaccinated Colombians, that is, those who have already received the two doses of the biologic, currently stands at 5,566,656 people.

The national immunization plan is expected to continue to progress and in the case of the more remote areas of the country it has already been announced that the vaccines produced by Janssen, Johnson & Jhonson will be used, as they are d ‘a single dose and it makes the process easier. Indeed, Wednesday June 23, the country received the first 480,000 vaccines from the laboratory.

KEEP READING: