In her nine years at the Laura Bonaparte national mental health hospital in Buenos Aires City, Julieta Chevallier has seen suffering widen and deepen.
“When people finally come to see us, it’s usually because they’ve reached the end of their rope,” the social worker told openDemocracy. “What we used to see has now grown sharper, heavier: deeper hopelessness, more suicide attempts, more violence, more acute crises, and a constant anxiety about the economy – even about something as basic as securing food.
“people who had managed to stop using drugs after partially rebuilding their lives with support from social programs are falling back into old patterns.”
At the José A. Esteves neuropsychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires Province,director María Rosa Riva offers a similar warning.
“People are arriving utterly shattered,” said Riva, who has worked at the hospital sence 1997 and led it since 2020.
in the 1990s, she said, the emergency room was mainly filled with patients in the grip of severe psychotic episodes, such as schizophrenia. Now, visitors are frequently enough experiencing psychomotor agitation linked to problematic drug use, or depression that runs so deep it reawakens latent psychotic breaks, or suicidal thoughts and self-harm – both of which are rising especially sharply among children and adolescents across the country.
Argentina’s mental health began a steep decline after the pandemic, which the World Health Organisation estimated increased global rates of depression and anxiety by between 25% and 27%.In Argentina, this downward trend has deepened since president Javier Milei took office in December 2023 and began drastically shrinking the state.
“Demand for mental health care in the country has risen between 12% and 20% in the past year,” Julieta Calmels, the undersecretary for me
Argentina’s Healthcare System Under Strain as Austerity Bites
Argentina’s healthcare system is facing a deepening crisis under the government of President Javier milei, with vulnerable populations bearing the brunt of drastic austerity measures. Reforms to social programs and deregulation policies are creating meaningful barriers to access and affordability, leading to a decline in health outcomes and increased pressure on public hospitals.
One of the most concerning changes is the tightening of requirements for disability benefits. New stipulations, some of which have previously been deemed unconstitutional, are making it harder for individuals with disabilities to qualify for crucial financial support. Even for those who do receive the benefit, the monthly payment – roughly $206 last month – falls far short of covering basic needs, lagging considerably behind the cost of the basic food basket, which currently stands at $365.
The situation is further exacerbated by the loss of private health insurance for approximately 200,000 people, a outcome of the Milei government’s deregulation of prices. This has placed additional strain on the already overburdened public hospital system.
Access to essential medicines has also been compromised. Authorities briefly suspended the free distribution of medications for retired workers, including vital psychiatric drugs and treatments for chronic conditions, before the measure was overturned by the courts. Together,medicine prices have skyrocketed,with cumulative increases exceeding 200% in 2024.
the economic policies implemented by Milei are contributing to a broader decline in purchasing power. the minimum wage has fallen by 35%, and pensions have experienced ample losses, further limiting access to healthcare for those who need it most. These combined factors paint a grim picture of a healthcare system in distress, struggling to meet the needs of a population facing increasing economic hardship.
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Argentina’s School Lunch Crisis: Children Report Hunger as austerity Bites
Argentina is facing a growing crisis in school nutrition as President Javier Milei’s austerity measures, dubbed the “chainsaw plan,” drastically cut social programs. Reports indicate a surge in childhood hunger, with students themselves voicing concerns about their ability to concentrate and learn due to lack of adequate food. this situation is raising alarms among educators, families, and child welfare advocates.
The Impact of Austerity on School lunches
President Milei, who assumed office in December 2023, has implemented sweeping cuts to government spending in an attempt to address Argentina’s economic woes, including soaring inflation and debt. These cuts have significantly impacted social programs, including those providing school lunches.Many provinces are struggling to maintain these programs, leading to reduced meal frequency, smaller portion sizes, or complete elimination of lunch services in some areas.
Rising Reports of childhood Hunger
Teachers are reporting a noticeable increase in students arriving at school hungry and unable to focus. The Guardian reports that children are directly communicating their experiences of hunger to teachers and school staff. A recent study by the Centro de Estudios y Políticas para el Desarrollo (CEPD), a Buenos Aires-based think tank, found a significant increase in food insecurity among families with school-aged children since Milei took office. The study highlighted that the cuts to social programs are disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
Voices from the Classroom
Lucía Molina, a teacher in buenos Aires, has been documenting the impact of the crisis firsthand. “This is not a warning coming from a 45-year-old adult,” Molina said. “It’s eight-year-olds telling us.” She and other educators are witnessing students experiencing headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating due to hunger. They are also observing an increase in behavioral issues, as children struggle to cope with the physical and emotional stress of food insecurity.
The Role of Provincial Governments
The responsibility for providing school lunches largely falls to Argentina’s provincial governments. However, with federal funding reduced, many provinces are struggling to cope. Some provinces are attempting to supplement their budgets with local funds, but this is often insufficient to maintain the previous level of service. La Prensa reports that several provinces have publicly criticized the federal government’s cuts, arguing that they are jeopardizing the well-being of students.
Concerns from Families and Advocates
Families are expressing growing anxiety about their children’s nutrition. Many rely on school lunches as a crucial source of food for their children, notably in low-income households. Child welfare organizations are warning that the crisis could have long-term consequences for children’s health, development, and educational attainment. They are calling on the government to restore funding for school lunch programs and prioritize the needs of vulnerable children.
Key Takeaways
- Argentina is experiencing a school lunch crisis due to austerity measures implemented by President milei.
- Cuts to social programs have led to reduced meal frequency, smaller portion sizes, and the elimination of lunch services in some schools.
- Teachers are reporting a surge in childhood hunger and related issues
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