Aziz on the Flu

Like a few others I've read, earlier this week Alberto Aziz Nassif made the case for using the flu to improve the longstanding inadequacies in Mexico's in Mexico's health and science facilities. In so doing, he offers the possibility that Mexicans might see a different "photograph" of their country's government:

This health crisis can break the inertia and the special-interest dominion and can generate changes. For example, the electoral campaign that has begun in an atypical form won't be the same as before the emergency, and the parties and candidates that can better understand this situation will be those who can obtain the greater political gain. 

Along those lines, Calderón's government will be evaluated in a special way regarding its actions during the crisis, regarding its precision and efficiency. The same will happen in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Once the fear passes and the contagion diminishes, it's possible that reflection, analysis, proposals for changes to the health system will emerge. 

The health system has been put to the test. Its failures and strengths will have to come under public scrutiny. This epidemic has effected countries in different ways and that has to do with the capacity of response of the health system. The cases of contraction and the number of deaths is distinct. 

[Break]

It has begun to become clear that the lack of public investment in science and technology has grave consequences for the country. How many years in Mexico has infrastructure financing been budgeted at less than 0.4 percent of the GDP, when by law we should be at no less than 1 percent? Of course this has the effect of not having adequate laboratories and sufficient levels of infrastructure and technology to confront an emergency like the one we lived. 

This is one of the first occasions I remember that Leo Zuckermann is more critical of Calderón than Aziz. I imagine that the latter is wisely waiting for more information to trickle out about the government's response. Whatever the case, his above conclusions are hard to dispute.