Buenos Aires Health Minister Nicolas Kreplak Removes Hospital Director

Buenos Aires provincial Health Minister Nicolás Kreplak dismissed Juan Sebastián Riera as director of the province’s hospital network, appointing general practitioner Nicolás Javier Omar Coliqueo as his replacement. The change comes amid a severe hospital crisis affecting major centers such as Junín, Pergamino and Nueve de Julio, linked to staff shortages, uncovered specialist posts and recent patient safety incidents.

Opposition senators from the PRO bloc, including Pablo Petrecca and Juan Manuel Rico Zini, demanded formal reports on the state of the public hospital system, the availability of human and material resources, coverage of critical emergency shifts and the recovery plan for the network. The ministers highlighted ongoing budget cuts from the national health ministry, noting a 40% reduction in the executed budget since 2023 and a recent 63‑billion‑peso cut affecting vaccines, oncology and other essential services.