http://www.derechos.org/serpaj/

        To Human Rights Organizations and other Solidarious people

        From Serpaj (Peace and Justice Service) Argentina
        Buenos Aires, january, 08, 1997

        Dear  friends, we have received the following communication  from 
        scientific workers. We support their demand and we hope you  will 
        support them as well. Thanks.

        INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MICROBIOLOGIA "DR. CARLOS G. MALBRAN"

        Buenos Aires, January 8th, 1997

        MASSIVE   LAY-OFF  OF  SCIENTIFIC  WORKERS  FROM  THE   ARGENTINE 
        MICROBIOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

        The current neoliberal economic program applied by the  Argentine 
        governement   has  eroded  the  public  health  rights   of   the 
        population.

        The governement is currently enforcing the "Second State Reform", 
        which  has  meant the lay-off of 20% of the  employees  from  the 
        seven National Institute of Health on December 30th.

        The  implementation  of  such  economic  policy  have  tremendous 
        negative  impact on the Public Health, leaving the whole  country 
        without  its  guaranteed benefits; without the capacity  for  the 
        early  detection  and  prevention  of  outbreaks  of   infectious 
        diseases, and without the production of vaccines and antisera for 
        the  diagnosis,  control  and treatment  of  local  endemies  and 
        epidemics.  Moreover, the capacity of controlling the quality  of 
        the  vaccines  used  in massive  vaccination  campaigns  and  the 
        quality  of  reagents  and diagnostics  kits  utilised  in  blood 
        centres of whole country has also been severely affected.

        Unfortunately,  we  cannot foresee an inmediate solution  of  the 
        conflict   since  the  national  authorities  have  showed   very 
        reluctant to solve the conflict despite of intensive negotiations 
        held with trade unions and representants of the parliament.

        Therefore, we are denouncing before the international  community 
        our national government for carrying out an economic policy which 
        has  a  devastating consequences on the already  impaired  public 
        health system.

        We kindly request your support by sending a FAX to the  following 


        faxes: 

        Health Minister, Dr. Alberto Mazza, 54-1-381.6075

        Primer Minister, Mr. Jorge Rodriguez, 54-1-331.9658

        President, Dr. Carlos Saul Menem, 54-1-342.8618

        APRONIM   (Professional  Association  Argentine   Microbiological 
        Institute Dr. Carlos G. Malbran): 54-1-301.1288 and 303.2210

        Note  from  Serpaj:  you can let us know of your  action  to  our 
        email, and we shall forward it to the Association.