Our third day in Argentina was a busy but fun one. We started the morning with a pleasant boat ride to a public health clinic in Tigre. I really enjoyed the boat ride because it gave us the chance to see a different side of the area, with unique, pretty houses built along the water. It was cool to see an area that is mostly residential, compared to the busy, urban area we have been staying in. The public health clinic was a very small building that consisted of an emergency room, dental office, and a few other specialties. The emergency boat driver gave us a lot of information about how things are ran at the clinic, and what challenges are faced being only accessible by boat. It is an unsettling thought to realize that people may not be able to come to the emergency room if the weather is bad enough, such as it being too foggy on the water. Before we left, one of the employees gave us a salsa lesson which was an exciting addition to the trip.

After the clinic, we had lunch at a restaurant on the water, where we enjoyed a multi-course meal. My favorite part was the salad. We also stopped at a market to walk around and do some shopping, where I found a really cute ring to bring home as a souvenir.

We then headed to our second visit of the day, a public hospital in San Isidro. We were given a presentation and discussed a bit about the relationship between primary care and hospitals. We think that Argentina should try to strengthen and prioritize the country’s primary care system. By taking this approach, more patients would visit primary care centers for non-emergency needs, which would then reduce overcrowding in hospitals and lower overall healthcare costs. This would also be a great preemptive tactic as it could address health issues before they progress into more serious conditions. Hospital managements may not be in support of this plan as it could decrease their income, but I think it is a better option for the overall health of the community.