President Javier Milei’s government has announced the closure of Argentina’s National Cancer Institute, integrating it into the Health Ministry. Citing inefficiencies and duplicative tasks, the Ministry addressed logistical issues within the institute while assuring continuity of programs. However, this decision has sparked protests and concerns regarding broader cuts to public health amid the administration’s austerity measures.
President Javier Milei’s administration has announced the closure of Argentina’s National Cancer Institute, citing a need for greater control over health operations and a perceived duplication of tasks. The institute, officially known as the Instituto Nacional del Cáncer, will be absorbed into the Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry reported detecting significant logistical issues within the institute, including the management of medications nearing expiration, inefficient procurement processes, and overlapping programs and functions already managed by other governmental entities. It raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of drug purchases, referencing a previous incident involving the discarding of 400,000 units of expired morphine from the previous administration.
The Health Ministry assured the public that this administrative change would not disrupt ongoing programs previously assured by the Instituto Nacional del Cáncer. However, the announcement did not address the future status of the institute’s 183 employees amidst broader concerns regarding state budget cuts under Milei’s governance, which has been termed a “chainsaw” approach to public spending.
Protests erupted in Buenos Aires just the prior week led by various health organizations, including unions and patient advocacy groups, opposing Milei’s cuts to healthcare and public service funding. This closure is part of a wider trend of governmental reductions initiated by Milei since assuming office in December 2023, including the dissolution of other significant state entities like the INCAA national film institute and the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity.
Recently, both President Milei and Ministry of State Transformation and Deregulation Federico Sturzenegger celebrated the termination of over 40,000 public sector employees in Argentina as part of the administration’s sweeping budgetary changes.
In conclusion, the closure of Argentina’s National Cancer Institute by President Javier Milei’s government reflects an ongoing trend of drastic budget cuts impacting public health and state institutions. While the government advocates this move as an efficiency measure, it raises concerns among healthcare professionals and the public regarding the future of health services in Argentina and the viability of programs sustained by the institute. Protests and criticisms from various health sectors highlight the discontent with ongoing government austerity measures.
Original Source: www.batimes.com.ar
