Today we started off by meeting Dr. Daniel Farrente who is the current deputy minister of health in Argentina. We were able to get taught the history of Argentinian healthcare and he explained to us in detail how the system works because it is so complex. Next, we went to the Universidad de Austral in Buenos Aires campus, where we got to meet Dr. Gabriel Leverstein who is the current director of Obra Social de Comercio. He talked to us about how HMOs work, a health maintenance organization which provides health insurance to residents. We then learned about what a PMO is which is a federally mandated package of minimum health services that insurance companies must pay for.

Next, we met Dr. Luis Gimenez who is a former deputy national minister of health who dove deeper into the national ministry of health. We got to hear about what his key responsibilities are and what it was like to be in that position. Using his time as a minister of health, he was able to give thoughtful insight to specific problems within the healthcare system of Argentina like how regulating drug and product safety works.

To wrap up the day, we ended with a visit to the Museo Etnográfico, where we took a guided walking tour through the museum’s collection. It was a great way to take in some of Argentina’s cultural history after a full day of learning about its healthcare system. The exhibits and artifacts give us a deeper appreciation for the country’s heritage and allow us to reflect on how culture and history are closely tied to public health.