They denounce that AIDS and STI programs are at risk due to austerity measures

Sergio Maulen, head of the program at the Directorate of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis, submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Health. Workers from the various programs issued a statement warning that patient care “is at risk.”

September 3, 2018

Following today's recorded message from Argentine President Mauricio Macri, it was confirmed that the government will halve the number of ministries, downgrading many to secretariats. Among them is the Ministry of Health, which will be absorbed by the Ministry of Social Development.

Following these announcements, Sergio Maulen, head of the program at the Directorate of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis, resigned from the Ministry of Health. Workers from the various programs issued a statement warning that patient care “is at risk.”

"The resignation is related to the budget cuts. This morning, Maulen gathered us all and informed us of his decision. This cut is destroying the HIV response in Argentina, not to mention the response to other diseases. The Ministry is paralyzed today. It's empty of staff. We're organizing a march to the Ministry of Modernization," Fabio Nuñez, a member of the Program, told Presentes.

Before taking to the streets, the workers sent out this press release:

“In this context of severe austerity and downsizing of the State, the national government has submitted a bill that entails a significant cut to the budget of the Directorate of AIDS, STIs, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Leprosy . Within this framework of budget reductions, sharp devaluation, and inflation, the continuity of access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for the people served by the programs that comprise this Directorate is not guaranteed,” warned staff members of the Directorate in a statement. They added that this situation prompted Maulen’s resignation, “whom we acknowledge for his demonstrated commitment to maintaining this management under such adverse conditions.”

“Therefore, the workers of all the Programs that are part of this Directorate express our rejection of this policy of downsizing the State, which violates the right to health and puts people's lives at risk . In this regard, this team wishes to express its commitment to Public Health and its conviction that the downgrading of the Ministry of Health to a Secretariat only exponentially worsens the situation,” concludes the statement signed by the one hundred workers of the Directorate.

The National Front for the Health of People with HIV reported that they are on alert and are calling for an Assembly of social organizations and other actors that respond to these epidemics on Wednesday, September 5th at 6pm within the framework of the XV Symposium on AIDS and Hepatitis at the Palais Rouge in CABA.

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