Argentina’s government confirmed on Thursday that the death toll from contaminated fentanyl administered in hospitals has surpassed 100, intensifying public outrage over what critics call a slow and inadequate response to the crisis. The fatalities, linked to bacteria-infected batches of the powerful painkiller, have been recorded since May across four provinces and the capital, Buenos Aires. Authorities have blamed HLB Pharma Group, owned by Ariel Furfaro Garcia, for manufacturing the tainted supply.
According to a statement from President Javier Milei’s office, the country’s drug regulator, ANMAT, had already shut down the pharmaceutical lab three months before the first deaths occurred. The crisis has also taken on a political dimension, with Milei accusing allies of former left-wing president Cristina Kirchner of covering up Furfaro Garcia’s role, calling him a “longtime Kirchnerist associate.” The president provided no evidence for the claim, but the accusations have further inflamed tensions ahead of key legislative elections.
The investigation began after ANMAT received a hospital report flagging fentanyl vials contaminated with dangerous bacteria. While the official death toll now exceeds 100, experts warn that the figure may climb as hospitals review medical records and confirm unreported cases. Families of victims have staged protests outside medical facilities, including in La Plata, where the first deaths were reported, demanding swift justice for those affected.
Furfaro Garcia has denied responsibility, alleging in media interviews that a former colleague planted the accusations against him. Meanwhile, opposition figures have criticised the government’s handling of the crisis, saying the slow pace of investigations and lack of public updates have deepened public mistrust in health oversight systems.
The surge in fatalities comes just weeks before September 7 legislative elections in Buenos Aires province, Argentina’s most populous region. Observers say the fentanyl scandal has become both a public health emergency and a political flashpoint, with its fallout likely to shape the political climate ahead of October’s national mid-term elections.
