Argentina vaccine scandal: health minister steps down

Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia has battled with Pfizer over legal terms for vaccine doses, unable to secure a deal. On Friday, President asked him to step down amid another vaccine scandal. As Bloomberg has learned, the minister complied hours later.

Argentina’s health minister had granted preferential access to vaccinations. That is the reason for his stepping down amid the corona crisis in the country. His letter of resignation was sent to the president late Friday.

Earlier Friday, reporter Horacio Verbitsky told a radio station that he’d received a vaccine at the Gonzalez Garcia following a personal request to the health minister. Other government allies had received a vaccine ahead of schedule, too.

In his letter of resignation, Fernandez offered the post to Carla Vizzotti, who’s currently secretary of health access. Thus, Vizzotti will take the position at 5 pm Saturday.

In Argentina, the minister made missteps in the management of the pandemic, however, it is not the first such case in Latin America. Over a year, Brazil’s President drove out two health ministers over pandemic policy disagreements.

In Peru, former head of state Martin Vizcarra was among 487 people to take courtesy doses of the Sinopharm vaccine before they were available to the public.