Last week a note on the National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) this highlighted the lack of quality control in the production of BCG shots and insufficient manufacturing of doses of Hemorrhagic Argentina Fever, among others.

But the work of the General Audit Office (AGN, for its acronym in Spanish) found irregularities in hiring staff and in the state of the building located on 500 Velez Sarsfield Avenue.

On infrastructure, the audit team noted that the central campus, a building from 1916 "is impaired despite modifications and permanent restructuring." Specifically, "holes in the roofs, stains and mildew on the walls" were found. Furthermore, "the electric, gas and storm water facilities are as old as the building."

ANLIS laboratories "have the ratings that the law demands" by ANMAT and the Ministries of Health of the Nation and the Province. Only a production plant has the endorsement and is produced by Candid # 1 vaccine Hemorrhagic Argentina Fever.

With that exception, the AGN observed "lack of means of fire protection and electrical emergencies; walls, floors and ceilings to clean and refrigerators and freezers in the halls or common spaces, as well as pollution generated by the transport of pathogenic material."

The safety and security are issues that deserve separate paragraphs as it was found that "the measures implemented for safeguarding goods and people are limited." In this regard, it is noteworthy that "laboratories store and manipulate samples infected with pathogens or isolation of these agents and infected animals," just to name a few. 

"There is no control in private vehicles; both on entry and exit," the report adds that "the doors and windows have lock failures even in laboratory areas."

(Dis) Organization

The Audit described the organizational structure of the former Malbrán as "inadequate and inconsistent with real and functional structures,” a situation that impacts the distribution of responsibilities.

Of the 14 approved management positions "only one met regulations, another was vacant and the remaining 12 had temporary employees" of the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Of the latter, "seven had expired and three did not even have the administrative act of the competent authority."

Moreover, but continuing with the staff, 55% is not permanent. A higher percentage "than that established by law" of around 15%.

Added to this is that the ANLIS "does not meet the quota of staff with disabilities established by Law 25,689". Based on the total of the agents "it would mean at least 40 people with disabilities." 

However, the report adopted in April of this year there are only four.

The auditor’s case is extreme: it has been in litigation since 1997 and still, no resolution.