Photos: Courtesy of the National Front for the Health of People with HIV. More than 400 people, convened by the National Front for the Health of People with HIV, gathered in front of the Ministry of Health in an open assembly to analyze the situation following reports last week of a shortage of medications for HIV patients in several Argentine provinces. On Thursday, the government issued a statement declaring the problems with the delivery of supplies resolved and announcing that "deliveries will be normalized next week." In a meeting prior to the assembly with Ministry of Health officials, representatives of the Front raised the need for the regularization of purchases and a return to transparency in public bidding procedures. The officials reiterated that the "situation will be normalized starting next week" and scheduled a new meeting for February 23.

[READ ALSO: #HIV Organizations will mobilize in front of the Ministry of Health due to drug shortages]

“We are here to raise this demand because historically, people with HIV have had to be the ones to speak out, and we are survivors of this epidemic. We are not willing to lose the rights we have built over more than 30 years,” he told Presents Estela Carrizo, a member of the Network of people with HIV and AIDS of Mar del Plata, who traveled to attend the meeting and assembly. "In December 2016 we had to gather in front of the Ministry to be heard about the shortages, now we are once again blocking lanes of the Avenue because the problems persist," activist and journalist Lucas Fauno told Presentes.

[READ ALSO: Argentina: “People with HIV are living through a national emergency”]

For his part, Horacio Barreda, national coordinator of the Argentine Network of Positive Youth and Adolescents (Rajap), said: “Young people and adolescents already have to endure violations of our rights, such as the failure to eradicate mother-to-child transmission or the unfriendly healthcare services we face when transitioning from pediatric to adult care, without having to fight again for acquired rights, such as access to medication.” He added: “National shortages due to administrative errors can no longer be tolerated. Therefore, we demand the active participation of people living with HIV in future medication procurement and bidding processes to prevent these failures from continuing.”

[READ ALSO: #WorldHIVDay: In Argentina, 30% of people don't know they are living with the virus]

This is the statement released by the National Front for the Health of People with HIV:

IN DEFENSE OF HEALTH

Given the critical situation of instability in the supply of supplies, the National Front for the Health of People with HIV met this morning with the Deputy Minister of Health of the Nation, Dr. Mario Kaler, prior to the Open Assembly that we convened on Av. 9 de Julio. At the meeting, the activists raised the need to regulate purchases and restore transparency to public bidding procedures. The official stated that the situation would be back to normal by next week, but failed to identify those responsible for the administrative failures, placing the blame entirely on the Ministry. There was also no commitment to review the purchasing systems and logistics needed to avoid future delays, which will keep us on alert. Deputy Minister Kaler expressed a “clear position against” the agreement with the European Union, which extends multinational patents to the detriment of access to medicines, and we expect this to be reflected in public statements from the ministry. On the other hand, the official expressed great satisfaction with the text of the draft bill for the new HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STI Law, stating that "the Ministry of Health expects the bill to be addressed promptly in Congress and has submitted its endorsement to the Chief of Staff," a statement that contradicts the actions of the ruling party in both chambers. We hope that legislators will approve the agreed-upon bill this year. Later, more than 400 people gathered at the entrance of the building to raise awareness of the situation and to demand the restoration of violated rights, calling for commitment and concrete answers. Without a doubt, organized civil society has once again demonstrated that it will not allow austerity measures to affect healthcare and people living with HIV. #ThereIsNoMoreTime]]>