Today was a true immersion into Argentine culture. I really enjoyed going to Tigre and seeing how different it was from the city of Buenos Aires. The boat ride was beautiful, and displayed a completely different culture and way of life than what we have seen so far. Everything has to be transported via the river. Groceries and drinkable water are delivered via boat. Instead of waiting for the school bus to go to class, students wait on their docks for the school boat to take them school. The river is their main highway. Everyone here goes from place to place by boat. I really liked how anytime we passed other boats on the water, the people waved and honked their horns. Everyone just seems so much happier here and very engaged with their community.
We arrived at the primary care clinic, and I immediately noticed how small it was. For the amount of people in the neighborhood, this is a significantly limited resource. With primary care being limited in Argentina in general, this is an extreme problem for the residents of Tigre. Primary care is important for a functioning health care system because it is part of preventive care to help detect serious illnesses or other medical issues before they become worse. The distribution of vaccines at primary care centers also helps to prevent diseases. Primary care also allows residents to have somewhere different to go who just need an examination for mild symptoms, rather than take up a bed at a hospital for someone out there with more serious needs. By preventing serious illness, primary care centers allow there to be more room in hospitals.
Argentina faces multiple challenges in delivering high quality and accessible primary care, specifically in Tigre. They have limited boat ambulances for emergencies and limited space in the clinics. The quality of care may be lower in the public sector due to high wait times and trying to get patients in and out in order to keep lines moving. Primary care is limited because most doctors have the urge to specialize, and find general practice less admirable. Additionally, funds from the government are limited, so the primary care centers can only provide what they can afford.
After spending time at the primary care clinic, we had lunch in Tigre as well. I had an excellent steak and fries. We then spent some time shopping around Puerto de Frutos. I did not buy anything, but I enjoyed looking around and seeing all of the shops. I am excited to relax this weekend and get some rest for more learning next week. See you soon!
