In 1989 a decree was signed, number 385, which provided for the creation of the National Commission against AIDS. The initiative, sought to provide a place to project and coordinate prevention strategies with government and international agencies, however, a year went by before the fight against the disease was declared of national interest in law 23.798. However, a report by the General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish), approved this year on 2008 data, shows that the commission was never created.

According to the Federal Watchdog, the Ministry of Health has under its aegis a Directorate for AIDS and STDs (DSyETS, for its acronym in Spanish) which was created in 2007, but does not have a specific area that monitors how actions are implemented to combat these diseases and achieve a unified criteria, so to provide "homogenized answers" in different jurisdictions, says the report. In its defense, the Directorate said that they “are developing tools to develop a monitoring process in the provinces."

In addition, the Department does not have a "complete national registry of HIV-infected individuals tracked in the public subsector, there is estimated data only," said the AGN. And added that, although the Directorate covers the costs of medication and conducting the recommended five per year (two HIV viral load, and three of immune system) studies, it was found that in 2008 the ratio of authorizations for viral load tests -39.910- and those of the “authorized persons” -24.780- "is 1.49". This means that the registered patients do not fulfill their treatment.

"A problem of under-diagnosis and a deficit in holding is observed in those infected," states the audit. According to estimates by the Bureau of AIDS, ONUSIDA, and the World Health Organization, in 2006 in Argentina about 130 thousand were infected, while bulletins issued in December 2007 by the DSyETS spoke of 67,245 people with HIV / AIDS receiving medical treatment, just over half.

About data circuits, the AGN recalled that Law 23,798- law that declared the fight against aids of national interest in 1990- established a reporting mechanism so national authorities would know of every new infected person within 48 hours of confirmed diagnosis. The goal of this operation was to monitor morbidity in the general population and to identify needs for new therapies. This task to report on each case from every jurisdiction became mandatory in 2001 but the report mentions another "problem": a "delay in notifications" that hinders the updated distribution of disease diagnosis. And besides, the Department "does not have sufficient human resources and information technology to ensure efficient loading notifications."

Thus, the auditors concluded that "a permanent linkage between the national and provincial levels to ensure an effective and efficient response in prevention, treatment, and care of HIV / AIDS has not been achieved,” adding that they could not complete the "implementation of a policy-based prevention strategy primary health care articulated with other government departments involved in land and labor throughout the country in order to reduce the actual incidence of the disease.”

In the Suburbs 

The AGN visited health landmarks in the Province of Buenos Aires, like the Posadas Hospital in Haedo, among other regions. During these visits it was found that the "population growth registered in the last decade in suburban Buenos Aires has not been accompanied by an increase in the availability of health effectors." Technicians also noted "difficulties of continuity in treatment, due to the precarious socio-economic situation and the low level of education of patients, compounded by distance and poor access to health centers." They also stated that: "the demand in the infectious area for HIV patients exceeds the number of infectious disease physicians."