Health emergency: Two frameworks for deliberation

Abstract

Access to healthcare has been heavily affected by the COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization. Its impact has forced the distribution of resources and the need for justifiable priority-setting. A report published by the Spanish Ministry of Health has reiterated the importance of ethics in such a situation, and other entities have made recommendations for health professionals. However, it is not easy to make decisions in situations of unexpected scarcity, nor is it possible to reach a balance between equity and efficiency. Against this backdrop, the objective of the article is to consider the following levels: (1) decision making in a health emergency situation; (2) the framework of principles, with the equitable distribution and efficient management of resources, and (3) deliberation as a appropriate procedure for conflict resolution and as a process that fosters public policy transparency and accountability in public policies, including health policy.