Paro

I apologize for being slow to update my blog. I really don't have any excuses because one of my biggest challenges with my internship right now is actually having too much time on my hands. Besides the large amount of feriados (national holidays) when the center is closed, there have also been several paros (strikes) interrupting the work week. I would like to inform you, the interested reader, all about the unions, labor laws, and worker contracts in Argentina that have set the stage for these work stoppages among healthcare workers. But from what I understand, it just comes down to money. Health workers in the Municipality of La Plata make very little money. The average worker earns about $1000 pesos per month, which is less than $300 USD. Not only is this low for US standards, it's about half of the average wage for healthcare workers in the city of Buenos Aires. (All of the doctors at the center work at private clinics to supplement these meager wages.) However, it's not like the municipality of La Plata is swimming in cash either. Belt tightening is happening all around and it's not clear where the money would come from. The whole situation makes me wonder how much these strikes are really accomplishing. Regardless, they are happening and things are affected, and as it is oftentimes the case, patients are the ones who lose out the most.

Case in point: last week there was a paro on Thursday and Friday. There was no picket line in front of the center and the building was not closed, but all consultations were cancelled. An administrator came in each day to take calls and reschedule appointments. Some doctors came in to the center to take care of paperwork, some (very few) marched in front of the government buildings, while the majority stayed home and enjoyed a long weekend. I came in to the center both days hoping to interview any patients who arrived (before they would be turned away by the administrator.) One patient came in to receive the lab results of his HIV test from his doctor. But since his doctor was unavailable and it was Friday, he was hoping to simply see the results. This man had tested positive for HIV. Clearly, this is a matter that should be handled delicately. The administrator had to call his doctor and have her come in during the paro to bear the bad news as well as discuss how a positive HIV result will effect the rest of his life. Meanwhile the man waited nervously by himself for over an hour as his doctor made this special trip. It's scenes like this that make me loathe the political and economic side of healthcare. Ideally, all the docotors could be paid comfortable salaries, allowing them to continue performing their important jobs. But until Argentina achieves more stability as nation, I'm afraid paros will continue to be a way of life, disrupting those that have already been through too much.