Argentinian President Javier Milei has raised concerns for the HIV/AIDS patients and medics with his fiscal deficit policies.
On Saturday, November 30, Reuters reported that several Argentines who are HIV/AIDS patients and the medics are concerned over the fact that the country’s president’s policies to limit spending.
It was reported that Milei’s policies “are hurting treatment of the illness and could lead to more cases, with fewer condoms for prevention and fewer tests to catch the virus early.”
The HIV and AIDS treatment budget in Argentina has been reduced by 67% in real terms in 2024 and it has been reported that 46% more budget will be cut off in 2025, resulting in a strain on supply of necessary medicines and leaving several needy patients without care next year.
Claudio Mariani, a 59-year-old HIV patient told the outlet, "I've been taking expired medication since May. Now in October they gave me medication until February, which expired in November.”
He added, "In my case, for example, I'm doing the viral load test now but I don't know when I'll have the results.”
As per the records updates by the Health Ministry's latest Epidemiological Bulletin, around 140,000 Argentines are living with HIV among which, half of them are dependent on public sector treatment.
