We are approaching the end of this administration. Deadlines are running out, initiatives are frozen and programming is scheduled “for later”—for the long-awaited victory on June 2—to give continuity to projects and events.
These days, an Independent Investigation Commission, integrated and composed of eminent scientists, presented its special report on the management against the Covid19 pandemic. They are there, under the leadership of the renowned epidemiologist Jaime Sepúlveda, people of the stature of Dr. Julio Frenk – former Secretary of Health -, Sylvia Schmelkes, Julia Carabias and José Ramón Cossío, among others.
All characters with impeccable academic, scientific and professional careers in their own fields.
Given the inaction of the Mexican government to review the way in which emergency public policies in the case of the pandemic operated and served, this group of experts formed an independent Commission. Without partisan affiliations, militancy or preferences, scientists and technicians offered their opinion.
It’s devastating. Many of us assumed it because of the extensive coverage that was carried out over three years, because of the data provided by universities and international organizations, but above all because of the overwhelming statistics worldwide.
The report indicates that there is a monumental difference between the official government figures (333,300) and the intersection of that variable with the official death certificates registered with governments, public offices and the civil registry, which are—listen—511 thousand. 81 deaths from Covid, according to ministerial and hospital records and death certificates, collected by the INEGI.
According to the report, this is a skyrocketing mortality rate, those deaths that exceed the annual averages of our country, even under the special conditions of the pandemic.
The report establishes an “unfortunate combination of structural disadvantages” referring to the real technical capacities of the public health systems in the country.
However, the policies and strategies dictated by the government to confront the pandemic produce a worsening effect on these conditions, since multiple errors were made to care for and protect the population.
For greater clarity, in Mexico 808,600 excess deaths were recorded, as a result of deaths directly caused by Covid and those caused by the inability to care for critical conditions due to the pandemic itself. That is to say, illnesses, surgeries and multiple emergencies were no longer attended to because all services were committed to addressing the pandemic.
More than 295 thousand deaths, according to the Commission, cannot be explained by the structural incapacity of services in place before the pandemic; They can only be explained as a result of poor management, terrible, negligent and irresponsible health policies and an underestimation of the impact.
The report fails to point out—so as not to mix scientific and statistical data with politics—that the conduct of officials, heads of areas and high levels of public administration may have committed crimes during their administration.
How else would it be explained that those responsible for caring for and protecting the health of Mexicans were guided by political, ideological and budgetary criteria, rather than putting into practice measures and strategies based on medical, clinical and epidemiological science?
The report offers extensive supporting data to verify the true number of deaths, recorded in the minutes; It is not an interpretation, the excess mortality rates, and the installed capacity of the national public health system.
It will be very difficult for López Obrador to face justice for this criminal behavior, but many of us hope that the incapable and mediocre Jorge Alcocer – incompetent Secretary of Health for the entire six-year term – and Hugo López-Gatell – criminal undersecretary at the forefront of the fight against Covid—may eventually face justice.
In Mexico, a widespread crime was committed by omission, by lack of care and attention, by medical and administrative clumsiness, by capricious, absurd decisions and against the lives of Mexicans. Someone would have to answer, don’t you think?
Andrés’ legacies will be multiple in different spheres. In education, disaster with the dismantling of a growing process of teacher evaluation and promotion; in security, due to the erratic policy of allowing criminal groups to take control of the country; in energy, for returning the industry 30 years to the past, and so on.
We will analyze each terrain.
For now, the health issue is overwhelming thanks to the endorsement of authorities and scientific experts in public health. Consult the report, it is available online: Independent Commission of Investigation on the Covid-19 Pandemic in Mexico.
