The “Covid-19 hospital”

an ethnographic approach on HIV medical routines in a public hospital unit in the city of Buenos Aires during the Covid-19 health emergency in 2020

Authors

  • Tomas Kierszenowicz Universidad de Brasília

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2447-9837.2022.n14.64982

Abstract

This article shows how HIV-AIDS medical routines are reorganized in a public hospital unit in the city of Buenos Aires due to the Covid-19 containment health policies that in- interrupted the offer of medical care and interventions in 2020. To address this, I present testimonies of health workers showing hospital reorganization and HIV medical routines. I also introduce the discussions between unit health workers regarding the situation of two hospitalized patients with HIV to shed light on the tensions and strategies that are carried out to establish a diagnosis and prescribe a treatment within the restrictions aimed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the institution. This research is based on an ethnographic approach with participation in virtual meetings held by health workers of this unit during 2020.

KEYWORDS:
Medical routines. Ethnography. Covid-19. HIV-AIDS.

Photo: https://www.aidsmap.com/news/dec-2020/people-hiv-higher-risk-hospitalisation-and-death-covid-19-new-york-study-finds

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Author Biography

Tomas Kierszenowicz, Universidad de Brasília

Licenciado en Ciencias Antropológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras.
Programa Antropología y Salud / Universidad de Brasília, Programa de Posgrado en Antropologia Social.

Foto: https://www.aidsmap.com/news/dec-2020/people-hiv-higher-risk-hospitalisation-and-death-covid-19-new-york-study-finds

Published

2022-12-05

Issue

Section

Ethnographies about a sindemics: Covid-19 and interactions