At least 96 people died from the distribution of contaminated fentanyl, produced by the HLB Pharma laboratory and massively distributed both in the public and private sector. The substance, manufactured in December 2024, contained bacteria that resulted in critical hospitalizations and chain deaths. The Ministry of Health, headed by Mario Lugones, not only did not act when the first deaths were known, but actively dealt with attacking and delegitimizing the protest of workers and residents of the Garrahan hospital, who claimed salary increases because their salaries are well below covering the basic basket.
While the deaths from contaminated fentanyl were known, Anmat officials looked the other way. Judicial information shows that laboratories knew in advance when the Inspections of the INAM (dependent on the ANMAT) would be, which reveals a direct complicity between the State and health entrepreneurs. In the internal chats of the employees of the Ramallo and HLB Pharma laboratory, which are now part of the criminal case, there is openly talk about structural failures, the use of expired products, and that “until something serious happens, they will not scare.” And the serious came: 96 people died.
This sanitary tragedy is not an error or an exception, it is the direct result of a policy that subordinates public health to the interests of pharmaceutical capital. While Lugones executes layoffs, closing of strategic areas and emptying of hospitals such as the claw, Posadas or Bonaparte, they benefit from private pharmaceutical laboratories.
Open Sky Corruption
This week also met audios that compromise Karina Milei and Eduardo “Lule” Menem, within the framework of a scandal of millionaire coimas and contracts with the Argentine Swiss drugstore, provider of the National Disability Agency (Andis). While the Government cuts coverage and pensions to people with disabilities, increases payments to friends. According to the complaint filed in August 2024, there were hiring for more than 30 billion pesos without tender, benefiting companies directly linked to the Menem family -Farma Online markets the products of the brandsch Argentina SA, which has Martín Menem among its partners.
Milei came to power with the promise of “ending the caste.” Today rules with her. This week was no exception, it was a confirmation. A confirmation that the “freedom” that prices is nothing other than the freedom of entrepreneurs to profit at life. And while cutting a budget to health, education, retirement and social programs, it favors capitalists who do business with the State.
This did not start with Milei. The tragedy of eleven, for example, left more than 50 dead under the government of Cristina Kirchner, and showed that this criminal relationship between businessmen and the State is a constant under all capitalist governments. With the government of La Libertad advances, the “anti -stroke” discourse is used as a screen to cover up the negotiated of the new libertarian caste.
It is not a “tragedia” inevitableit is a social crime, with concrete political and business leaders. It is not a case of isolated corruption, it is a system – the capitalist – that puts profits above the health, the life of the most vulnerable sectors. And it is a government that manages this rotten system at the service of them always.
What we need is the opposite of this model. A totally state, public health system, under the control of workers and users, without private businesses, without outsourcing, without laboratories that produce to increase their profits. A system where drug production is at the service of social needs, not business profitability.
Enough of negotiating with our health. Enough of governments at the service of capital. It is urgent to organize from below to fight for another future.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
