MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Senate passes new law on HIV and other diseases

It consists of a change of perspective from the old HIV law passed in 1991

Argentina's Senate Thursday passed a bill whereby the State would take a new approach to health conditions such as HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The bill, submitted by Congresswoman Carolina Gaillard of the ruling Frente de Todos, proposes “an integral approach from the collective health” and seeks to provide containment and information, to reduce prejudices and situations of discrimination. It consists of a change of perspective from the old HIV law passed in 1991 and is focused on social issues, aiming at improving the quality of life and preventing avoidable deaths.

The new norm proposes that all tests to detect these pathologies should be voluntary, free, confidential, and universal while promoting the creation of a special retirement system for those suffering from HIV and hepatitis B or C diseases, as well as a non-contributory lifelong pension in a situation of social vulnerability.

The bill also promotes training, research, mass awareness campaigns, and the creation of a National Commission on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, other STIs, and Tuberculosis.

The Senate also approved appointments of the new Argentine ambassadors to Venezuela, Honduras, and Ecuador submitted by the Government of President Alberto Fernández, namely Oscar Laborde for Venezuela, Gabriel Fuks for Ecuador, and Pablo Vilas for Honduras.

Opposition Senator Alfredo Cornejo said his bloc had second thoughts about Vilas' dual Argentine and Honduran nationality while stressing his bloc's blunt objection to the national Government's policy regarding diplomatic ties with Venezuela.