Milei’s chainsaw hits the fight against HIV in Argentina

The abrupt spending cuts that radical right-wing President Javier Milei promotes with a chainsaw in his hands managed to reduce Argentina’s rampant inflation, but the cost to the population is being revealed in sensitive areas such as treatment for HIV patients.

Amid reductions in education and health items which led to widespread social protests this year, the budget for free HIV treatments fell by 67% in 2024 and would fall by 46% in 2025 in real terms, which could generate another source of conflict for the Government that took office a few years ago. one year.

Of the 140,000 people with HIV in Argentina in 2023, 70,000 depended in 2024 on the treatment provided by the public system, according to the Epidemiological Bulletin of the Ministry of Health, which will imply interruptions in the treatments of thousands of people due to cost cuts. according to various NGOs.

“I have been taking expired medication since May. Now in October they gave me medication until February, which expired in November,” Claudio Mariani, 59, who learned of his positive HIV diagnosis in 1993, told Reuters.

“In my case, for example, I am now doing the viral load test but I don’t know when I will have the results,” he added.

The official budget for Program 22, dedicated to public and free treatment against HIV, remained unchanged in 2024 at 21,000 million pesos (21 million dollars at the current exchange rate) despite the 211.4% inflation that shook to the country in 2023.

For next year, the budget project not yet approved by the Argentine Congress foresees an allocation of 23,000 million pesos for the same program, when inflation of 105.1% is expected in 2024, according to private estimates.

Milei has managed to stabilize the economy and reduce inflation in one year of administration, although The indiscriminate cutting of public spending has increased unemployment and povertya challenge that the ultraliberal president will have to face to maintain his popularity.

Fewer treatments

Shortly after World AIDS Day was commemorated on December 1, some NGOs were concerned about a shortage of medicines and reagents.

The Huésped Foundation highlighted that the Government will offer at least 9,000 fewer treatments than necessary next year despite there being no evidence of a decrease in cases. On the contrary, the Epidemiological Bulletin considered that there would be an increase in late diagnoses.

“40% of HIV diagnoses occur in people who are already in an advanced stage of infection. These people have required hospitalization, treatment for opportunistic infections and a series of medical care that could have been avoided if the diagnosis had been earlier. early,” explained Leandro Cahn, executive director of the Huésped Foundation.

“All these cuts, far from saving money, in addition to everything they generate for people, generate more costs,” he said.

The Government did not respond to Reuters queries.

Due to high cost of HIV treatmentcalled Highly Active Antiretroviral and which consists of a combination of medications, many patients cannot afford it.

“The treatment is permanent. It cannot be replaced or interrupted,” HIV specialist Luis Trombetta told Reuters.

While the number of condoms distributed per month by the Government fell in 2024 to 209,328 from 503,460 the previous year, according to the Ministry of Health, a cut is also expected in 2025 in the purchase of reagents for viral load, rapid tests and tests. of syphilis.

Currently in Argentina – a regional pioneer in free treatment of the disease – the appearance of 6,400 new cases per year is estimated, according to the Ministry of Health. The reduction in its mortality rate has to do with permanent compliance with treatment.

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