We started our fifth day in Buenos Aires with a tango lesson at IES which was a great way to start a pretty busy day. Watching the instructors perform the tango was very impressive, and I never realized how much of it is improvised. After this, we got on a bus and headed to the Paroissien Hospital, which is a public hospital in La Matanza. This hospital had a much different look and atmosphere than the others we had visited. The building showed signs of wear and limited resources, but despite these challenges, the staff remained incredibly dedicated to their patients. It was shocking to hear about how they have to serve a population of two million. The students from the Universidad Nacional de La Matanza also train here, and were there to help guide us around. We then went back to the university with the nursing students, where they showed us their simulation lab and gave a CPR demonstration. A group discussion at the end gave us an opportunity to interact with the students more and learn about how their nursing program works.

Federalism is a system of government where power is distributed amongst a central, national government and regional governments, such as state or provincial. In Argentina, this structure means that individual provinces and municipalities are responsible for managing their own healthcare systems, including the funding and administration of public hospitals. Even though San Isidro and Paroissien were both public hospitals, they were very different as San Isidro is funded by its municipal, and Paroissien is funded by its province. The economical state of the region is directly reflected in its hospitals. San Isidro is located in a wealthy area, leading to a more modern structure with more resources. Paroissien on the other hand, is located in a low income community where not nearly as much funding goes towards improving the hospital and paying the staff. This difference highlights how federalism can result in disparities in public services like healthcare. The economic strength of a region directly influences the quality and accessibility of care its hospitals can provide. As a result, people in underserved areas may face greater challenges in receiving adequate healthcare, despite being part of the same national system.