Juan Luis Manzur
Encyclopedia
Juan Luis Manzur is an Argentine surgeon and politician, currently Minister of Health and Environment to the President.
and an Argentine mother. He received a medical degree
from the University of Tucumán and completed his residency at the public Álvarez Hospital, in Buenos Aires
. Manzur later received a master's degree in Health Systems and Services Administration from the University of Buenos Aires
.
Following a stint as Vice Minister of Health for the Province of San Luis, in 2002 he was named Public Health Secretary of the District of La Matanza
, a western, mainly blue-collar suburb of the Argentine capital. Recommended by the National Health Minister, Ginés González García
, Manzur was appointed Health Minister of Tucumán Province
by the new Governor, José Alperovich
, in 2003. Manzur soon earned plaudits in his post, which oversaw public health in one of Argentina's least-developed provinces. One widely-used yardstick of public health, the infant mortality rate, fell from 23 per 1,000 births (50% above the national average) in 2003 to 13, in 2006 (matching the national average). These news helped Manzur secure Governor Alperovich's nod to be a running mate for his successful, 2007 bid for re-election.
The reported accomplishment was clouded, however, by accusations published in June 2008 in the Buenos Aires daily Crítica de la Argentina
, that the headline statistic had been manipulated by Manzur's office by allegedly counting neonatal mortality (the death of an infant under one month) as perinatal mortality
(a late fetal death, or of an infant under one week old). It's worth noting that the World Health Organization
classifies perinatal deaths within these parameters, and that in any case, the published rate of perinatal deaths fell from 24 to 18 per 1,000 births in Tucumán. Crítica reiterated its 2008 accusations in its June 30, 2009, news story on Manzur's pick, though the Minister-designee replaced his predecessor, Graciela Ocaña
, as scheduled.
Manzur, who was sworn in on July 1, will have an agenda topped by a potential declaration of a public health emergency and the special earmark of over US$260 million, both to facilitate government responses to the H1N1
virus ("swine flu"). Around 1,600 cases of the strain have been reported in Argentina as of July 1, 2009, including 44 fatalities.
Biography
Manzur was born in San Miguel de Tucumán to a Maronite Catholic father from LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and an Argentine mother. He received a medical degree
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the University of Tucumán and completed his residency at the public Álvarez Hospital, in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Manzur later received a master's degree in Health Systems and Services Administration from the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
.
Following a stint as Vice Minister of Health for the Province of San Luis, in 2002 he was named Public Health Secretary of the District of La Matanza
La Matanza Partido
La Matanza is a partido located in the Greater Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires Province in Argentina....
, a western, mainly blue-collar suburb of the Argentine capital. Recommended by the National Health Minister, Ginés González García
Ginés González García
Ginés González García is a medical doctor and was the Minister of Health and Environment of Argentina during the administrations of Presidents Eduardo Duhalde and Néstor Kirchner.-Career:...
, Manzur was appointed Health Minister of Tucumán Province
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
by the new Governor, José Alperovich
José Alperovich
José Jorge Alperovich is an Argentine politician, currently the governor of Tucumán Province.Alperovich was born in Banda del Río Salí to Israeli parents, in 1955. He enrolled at the University of Tucumán, and graduated as an accountant...
, in 2003. Manzur soon earned plaudits in his post, which oversaw public health in one of Argentina's least-developed provinces. One widely-used yardstick of public health, the infant mortality rate, fell from 23 per 1,000 births (50% above the national average) in 2003 to 13, in 2006 (matching the national average). These news helped Manzur secure Governor Alperovich's nod to be a running mate for his successful, 2007 bid for re-election.
The reported accomplishment was clouded, however, by accusations published in June 2008 in the Buenos Aires daily Crítica de la Argentina
Crítica de la Argentina
- Origin :The name was a throwback to a Crítica originally published between 1913 and 1962, which, during the 1920s, was the most widely-circulated in Latin America.- History :...
, that the headline statistic had been manipulated by Manzur's office by allegedly counting neonatal mortality (the death of an infant under one month) as perinatal mortality
Perinatal mortality
Perinatal mortality , also perinatal death, refers to the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. Variations in the precise definition of the perinatal mortality exist specifically concerning the issue of inclusion or exclusion of early fetal and...
(a late fetal death, or of an infant under one week old). It's worth noting that the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
classifies perinatal deaths within these parameters, and that in any case, the published rate of perinatal deaths fell from 24 to 18 per 1,000 births in Tucumán. Crítica reiterated its 2008 accusations in its June 30, 2009, news story on Manzur's pick, though the Minister-designee replaced his predecessor, Graciela Ocaña
Graciela Ocaña
Graciela Ocaña is an Argentine politician.-Life and times:Ocaña was born and raised in the western Buenos Aires suburb of San Justo in 1960. Raised without her father, she lost her mother to an accident at age five and was taken in by her maternal grandparents, both immigrants from Spain...
, as scheduled.
Manzur, who was sworn in on July 1, will have an agenda topped by a potential declaration of a public health emergency and the special earmark of over US$260 million, both to facilitate government responses to the H1N1
H1N1
'Influenza A virus is a subtype of influenza A virus and was the most common cause of human influenza in 2009. Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans and cause a small fraction of all influenza-like illness and a small fraction of all seasonal influenza. H1N1 strains caused a few percent of...
virus ("swine flu"). Around 1,600 cases of the strain have been reported in Argentina as of July 1, 2009, including 44 fatalities.