Topic: Rights of HIV-Positive Individuals
Country: Argentina
Delegate Name: Lisa Plucinski
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Argentina position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The country of Argentina is currently in the midst of an AIDS crisis, with 400,000 active cases with approximately 14,000 deaths per year from the disease. The disease is increasing among young adults, so Argentina is focusing on raising awareness of the disease through education in the school system. The education focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as information about treatment for those infected. It stresses the dangers of needle-use as well as the importance of sexual protection in order to decrease the amount of teenage pregnancies.
Argentina aims to provide all of its infected citizens with adequate means in order to cope with the disease. Many free, voluntary, and anonymous HIV testing centers are available throughout the country in hopes of halting the spread of HIV. The numbers of women affected by the disease are much greater than the numbers of men in the country. Women, including pregnant women, must be allowed examination within these centers, as well as treatment once infected. Emergency contraceptive pills were able to be distributed as of 2007 in order to prevent the spread of the disease to children born of infected mothers; however, abortion is illegal within the country. Since 1997, the Ministry of Health has provided free anti-retroviral medicines to all HIV-positive individuals without health insurance. Although these medicines are free, the Ministry of Health often experiences supply difficulties due to the economic depression of 2001. Argentina strives to offer medical access to all of its citizens. The health care system is organized between the public sector (50% of population), social plans (45% of population), and the private sector (5% of population). All plans must support the treatment of individuals infected with HIV.
Argentina hopes to be able to work with countries, such as Brazil, in order to reach a resolution among other nations in order to provide universal healthcare to all citizens of such countries. This healthcare must support the treatment of HIV positive individuals as well as prevention of the disease.
