Health System in Argentina
Ada Berenstein, MD
Glossary (PAHO)
Health System: all organizations, people and actions
whose primary intent is to promote, restore or
maintain health
Public health: an organized effort of society, to
improve, promote, protect and restore the health of
the population through collective actions
Public health Services: health services targeted at
the population as a whole.
Health system
Public
Hospitals and primary
care units
Uninsured and
poor people
Taxes and
payments made by
social security
beneficiaries
Social security
Social security
clinics and
providers
Workers of formal
economy and their
families
Contributions of
employers and
employees
Private
Private providers
Prepaid medicine
enterprises
Individuals and private
health insurance. Upper
middle class
Payments made by
families and/or
employers
Health system in Argentina
10% GDP (gross domestic product)
Fragmented
Descentralized
Poorly regulated by de goverment
Increased demand of the public subsector
History
1943 Perón goverment
PUBLIC HEALTH as
a major state interest.
1949
the Ministry of Health is created
The state as responsible and guarantor of the
rigth to health
Unions organizations
social security sector
(obras sociales)
Obras sociales are financed: 3% salary; 6%
employers contribution
280 obras sociales nacionales
24 obras sociales provinciales
PAMI ( retired )
300 prepaid medicine enterprises ( Buenos
Aires city and Great Buenos Aires)
Public Health System
BA city
33 hospitals
General
hospitals
Children
hospitals
Specialist
38 Cesac (primary care centers)
Centro de Salud y Acción Comunitaria nº 15
3rd. level complexity hospital
Founded in 1875
250 beds
3 ICU
Located in Abasto
Primary care center
Primary Health Care Strategy
First contact between people and health system
Provides comprehensive care
Social participation
Intersectoral actions, integrated
Emphasis in promotion and prevention
Equity
Accessibility
FAMILY
Unit of planification
Legal, institutional framework
Continuous
First level of care
Provision of integrated, accesible health care services
by clinicians who are accountable for adressing
personl health care needs, developing a partnership
with patients and in the context of family and
community
Defined population/territory under its responsibility
Knowledge of health needs of this population
PRINCIPLES OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
PRINCIPIOS DE APS
Some demographic data…..
Total Population
40.000.000
Formosa
530.000
Santiago del
estero
874.000
Buenos Aires
City
2.890.000
Buenos Aires
15.000.000
Lugar de nacimiento
Ocupación
Desocupación
Unsatisfied basic needs
At least 1 of:
Overcrowding (> 3 persons/room)
Dwelling: inconvenient ( squatts, poor housing)
Sanitary conditions : without toilet
School attendance: at least 1 school-age child who
doesn´t attend school
5. Ability to cope: houses with > 4 members for 1
worker
1.
2.
3.
4.
Infant mortality rate
(children under 1 year old)
IMR- 2010
Argentina
11,9/00
Buenos Aires
12/00
Buenos Aires City
7/00
Misiones
13/00
Catamarca
15/00
0
