Argentina: Health Workers, Patients, Activists Oppose Healthcare Cuts

Over 100 workers’ collectives, health groups, and organizations mobilized across Argentina on Thursday, February 27, in protest against President Javier Milei’s devastating policies. A central march took place in Buenos Aires, denouncing the purposeful underfunding of the health system, deteriorating working conditions, and pressures on public hospitals. Among the demonstrators were health workers, patients, and the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo.

“Health is a fundamental human right, and defending it is the responsibility of all society,” organizers declared ahead of the protest. “We invite citizens to join this march to demand a strong, inclusive, and high-quality public health system.”

Since Milei took office, Argentina’s healthcare system has faced severe blows. His administration has pushed for the shifting of financial responsibility onto provinces and privatization of healthcare, alongside sweeping budget cuts in the public sector. These policies have led to shortages of essential medicines, medical staff, and, recently, treatments used for cancer pain relief, triggering outrage among healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Some of the hardest-hit programs include national vaccination efforts, mental health services, and access to essential medicines for the elderly. In a widely criticized move, Milei’s health ministry slashed coverage for dozens of critical drugs, including antivirals and antibiotics, previously provided under the Comprehensive Medical Attention Program.

HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB) services have also suffered severe cuts, an area of particular concern for health workers and activists like Sergio Gravier, founder of a peer group at San Isidro’s central hospital. Argentina’s HIV/AIDS program saw its funding slashed by nearly 70% in real terms in 2024, with an additional 45% reduction expected this year. Already in 2024, patients reported delays in receiving treatment, and the number of those affected is expected to grow: of Argentina’s 140,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, 9,000 could see their treatments interrupted within the next 10 months.

“These decisions are not just an attack on public health, they endanger our lives,” Gravier told People’s Health Dispatch. “We cannot stand by while our most fundamental rights are stripped away.”

Source: Sergio Gravier

Health experts warn that Milei’s attack on preventive programs, including those related to HIV/AIDS, will not only harm public health but increase long-term healthcare costs as infections grow. This crisis is sharpened by effective salary freezes and restructuring projects in health institutions, forcing many health workers to leave their jobs or work under unbearable conditions. At the march, nurses, doctors, and other medics warned about the number of colleagues struggling to make ends meet due to the meager salaries and President Milei’s cuts policy.

Hospital staff from institutions such as the Laura Bonaparte Hospital, a leading mental health facility, and the Garrahan Pediatric Hospital have been at the forefront of the protest after organizing against attempts to defund and shut down their services at the hospital level. Their direct contact with patients makes them some of the most vocal witnesses to the consequences of Milei’s policies.

“There is no shortage of testimonies from health workers and patients warning about the severity of the cuts and the speed with which the Milei government is dismantling HIV, hepatitis, and TB prevention programs,” stated the Asociación de Profesionales y Técnicos del Hospital Garrahan, a collective of healthcare professionals. “Now, this destruction extends to cancer palliative care—abandoning patients, eliminating jobs, and closing public hospitals.”

Milei’s reckless destruction is not confined to Argentina. Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced his plan to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), Milei followed suit, citing opposition to the UN agency’s COVID-19 policies. Public health experts and medical organizations condemned the move, warning that Argentina’s withdrawal would jeopardize its ability to respond to future pandemics and public health crises. The People’s Health Movement (PHM) Argentina described Milei’s decision as an attack on science and global health cooperation, warning that it will lead to cuts in medical research, international isolation, and increased vulnerability to health emergencies.

Opposition to Milei’s policies is strong. Health movements are intensifying their resistance, calling for continued mobilizations and unity across different sectors. Argentina’s PHM chapter recently hosted the 2024 People’s Health Assembly, where grassroots movements from around the world demanded social justice and peace. With this foundation already in place, health activists are prepared to intensify their fight—not just against Milei’s attacks on healthcare, but against the neoliberal project that threatens the right to health.

People’s Health Dispatch is a fortnightly bulletin published by the People’s Health Movement and Peoples Dispatch. For more articles and to subscribe to People’s Health Dispatch, click here.