Today, we visited the government offices where we met Dr. Daniel Ferrante, the subsecretary of Health in Buenos Aires. He provided us with a brief overview of Argentina’s Health Sector and the fragmentation it has undergone. More specifically, he discussed his involvement in the public sector and how labor unions play a role within the Argentine Healthcare system.
The Labor Unions is one of the biggest sectors, consisting of more than 55% of the population. Employed Individuals in Argentina are obliged to be part of a Union. The Unions typically gather money from their salary to contribute to healthcare expenses. Members of a Union gather together to negotiate wages and address workplace issues. Through strikes, labor unions members work together to negotiate pivotal issues and make their voice heard. In fact, on May 9th, Labor Unions across Argentina have decided to hold protests due to President Milei’s new policies. Consequently, public transportation and even stores are being closed off for the day. It proves difficult to fire employees involved in the strikes, giving them a reason to protest without consequences. Despite their unified efforts, unions have exponentially plummeted with limited employment opportunities and inflation. Most Unions tend to not be sustainable and only very few are powerful.
Our second lecture was given by Dr. Gabriel Leverstein, the current director of the Obra Social de Commercio. The Union he is in charge of is one of the largest and influential in Argentina. The Union is responsible for the benefits provided to the members. Money is gathered through its members paying 3% of their personal salary and their employers paying a remaining 6%. It was interesting to hear Leverstein discuss the dilemmas in budgeting as there is insufficient money to pay for healthcare coverage. As a result, the chain of payment is broken due to limited money and high quality care to give. The Union Labors serves as a safety net in Argentina through its low monthly costs and ensuring high quality healthcare.
After the two lectures, we were given the opportunity to visit important cultural sites and explore the city. We first visited the Casa Rosada (pink house) which houses the president’s office. La Catedral was close by and we saw its unique architectural style. It was beautifully decorated with all sorts of statues and paintings. This was the location where Pope Francis gave mass before he became the Pope. Afterwards, we made our way to San Telmo and La Boca. La Boca was by far my favorite place to visit. It was filled with vibrant colors on the street and many local vendors selling food, clothes, and art. The neighborhood also had statues of Maradona and Messi, two of the most influential Argentine soccer players. It was a successful third day in Argentina. I cannot wait to further explore other places !
