Garrahan Hospital workers went on strike again and targeted the new medical director.
Since 7 a.m. this Wednesday, Garrahan Hospital has once again been without medical care due to a 24-hour strike. The protest included a symbolic embrace of the building, cultural activities, and a "vegetable throw." Workers , residents, and unions questioned the appointment of the new medical director , Mariano Pirozzo , and demanded a salary increase , which they consider urgent given the current economic situation.
The strike was called by ATE-Garrahan and was supported by doctors, technicians, and personnel from various departments. According to their explanation, the decision was made after three failed hearings within the framework of the mandatory conciliation convened by the Ministry of Labor, where they claim the Ministry of Health failed to appear or offer solutions.
New director at Garrahan: "We take this as another threat from the government." Hospital workers will hold another 24-hour strike.
Carola Suárez told it on #MásVerdadAM on LN+ pic.twitter.com/p7nWNFw6mI
“The hospital is getting worse, and so are the employees,” summed up a resident who participated in the mobilization. Pirozzo's recent appointment as medical director reignited the internal conflict. For the workers, his arrival represents a step forward in the adjustments. “He's not a pediatrician, he has no experience in children's health, and he's coming to lay people off, as he's already done in other hospitals,” warned Alejandro Lipcovich, general secretary of ATE-Garrahan.
The protest also exposed the situation of resident physicians, who, they reported, were pressured to abandon their protest measures. “They were threatened with dismissal and then had their employment status lowered. Now they are considered interns, which implies even more precarious conditions ,” explained a hospital spokesperson.
During the day, complaints were also heard from the nursery staff, a key part of the hospital's dynamic. "We care for the children of those who save lives, and they treat us like slackers. We come in every day and receive wages below what we deserve," said one worker.
Lipcovich also took aim at the authorities of Javier Milei 's government. "First, they said there were snoopers, but they didn't prove any. Now, they're talking about an excessive hierarchical structure. They change their narrative every week," he criticized.
The union leader also warned that the new management model does not seek to improve public health. "We have fewer staff than necessary and salaries below the poverty line . This is not a health policy; it's a hidden adjustment," he said.
Following Wednesday's action, the unions called for another day of protest on Thursday, July 17. They announced a march to Plaza de Mayo to demand answers from the Ministry of Health and to defend the operation of the Garrahan Hospital. In the meantime, they assert that they will remain on alert.
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