Julieta Calmels, Undersecretary of Mental Health of the province of Buenos Aires, expressed her concern about the cuts made by the National Government last month, which affected around 200,000 pensions in the area of disability, including mental health. Calmels described the Executive's decision as cruel, stating that it was carried out arbitrarily, without considering each case individually.
In an interview with Radio Splendid AM 990, Calmels stated that the massive review of pensions was conducted unfairly and unbalanced, which has generated a desperate problem that seriously impacts the public health system. The undersecretary described the situation as a "suffocation from all sides."
According to the National Government, the reduction of pensions is due to "irregularities detected" during an audit conducted by the National Disability Agency (ANDIS). It was specified that the holders of the pensions had not attended a call from the Ministry of Health to evaluate the continuity of the benefits.
In her statements, Calmels criticized the measure, calling it humiliating and pointed out that the real objective behind it is to reduce costs in the most vulnerable and unprotected sector of society. The Undersecretary of Mental Health of Buenos Aires emphasized that the lack of consideration for individual situations and the lack of criteria in the implementation of the cuts are causing serious consequences for those who depend on these pensions.
