Argentine health workers demand funding
Health workers at Clinicas Hospital in Buenos Aires staged a protest demanding urgent action to address severe budget shortfalls that are crippling operations and forcing staff to work for inadequate wages. Hundreds of medical staff gathered outside the facility, holding banners that read, "Vocation doesn't pay the rent" and "Health can't wait. Budget cuts kill." The demonstration highlights a growing crisis in Argentina's healthcare system, exacerbated by President Javier Milei's aggressive austerity measures.
Under Milei's administration, the national healthcare budget has been slashed by nearly 48%, resulting in the dismissal of over 2,000 Health Ministry employees and the dissolution of key agencies that provided essential medications to uninsured patients. These cuts have led to significant disruptions in public health services, including the suspension of early detection programs for breast and cervical cancer, and have been linked to at least 60 patient deaths due to lack of access to necessary treatments.
Healthcare workers, particularly those at Garrahan Pediatric Hospital, Argentina's largest children's hospital, have intensified their protests, citing a 60% reduction in real wages, critical shortages of medical supplies, and the resignation of over 170 medical professionals since 2024. The crisis has been further exacerbated by rising inflation, which has eroded salaries and increased the cost of medical supplies. Public hospitals are overwhelmed as more Argentines lose private insurance and turn to the public system, leading to increased patient loads and further strain on medical staff.
In response to these challenges, healthcare workers, supported by patients and advocacy groups, have organized strikes and demonstrations, demanding fair compensation, adequate staffing, and the restoration of essential health services. The protests reflect deepening tensions with the government's economic policies and the urgent need for reform in the healthcare sector.
