Argentine affiliates reject threat of closure of national mental health referral hospital

Since then, the 600 workers of the health center have taken over the building of the institution and will hold vigils and assemblies awaiting a favorable resolution of the situation. PSI affiliates in Argentina, FESPROSA and UPCN, were present at the general assembly of the hospital workers on October 7, affirming their unwavering defense of jobs and public mental health care.

The hospital, which was already a National Center for Social Reeducation, has become a national reference Hospital under the implementation of the National Mental Health Law. The flagship institution today provides inpatient, outpatient and emergency care, training, free medication and is a reference in the field of gender violence and in the treatment and support of trauma resulting from the persecution of sexual diversities.

"The Laura Bonaparte Hospital is a hospital of many years, an emblem in the city of Buenos Aires, which serves the most neglected sectors and has a significant number of interdisciplinary professionals who provide assistance to anyone in situations of vulnerability. This week we have seen the possibility of its continuation seriously affected due to an official communiqué from the Ministry of Health that spoke of a restructuring of the Ministry, focusing on the fact that the inpatient and on-call services would cease to operate. This obviously affected not only the functions of the hospital, but also put the jobs of the hospital's workers at serious risk," said Diego Guerén, general secretary of UPCN in the health sector.

"This policy of closing the Bonaparte hospital is not isolated.

María Fernanda Boriotti, president of the Federación Sindical de Profesionales de la Salud de la República Argentina (FESPROSA), affirms that the process of restructuring the Laura Bonaparte Hospital is more one of the actions of the current government against public health in Argentina. "This marks nothing more than the policies of dismantling public health being carried out by the national government since it took office and in particular the management of the Ministry of Health in charge of Mario Lugones, who took office 10 days ago. This policy of closing the Bonaparte hospital is not isolated".

In response to this threat, the workers initiated a series of assemblies and marches which led to a meeting on October 8 with the National Vice-Minister of Health - in which Guerén participated - where the government committed itself to the creation of a joint work table, to evaluate the restructuring variables proposed by the Ministry and to give continuity to the source of work of the hospital personnel.

The hospital workers and PSI affiliates continue to mobilize to put an end to the threats of hospital closure and the defense of public health services in Argentina.