The information that follows was provided by a representative of the Department of Public Information of the Federal Police in Buenos Aires during a 30 September 1998 telephone interview.

The entire Federal Police force, from the comisario general to the lowest ranking agent or officer, is covered by medical and hospital insurance managed by the Superintendencia de Bienestar of the Federal Police. The Direccion General de Sanidad Policial, a branch of the Superintendencia de Bienestar, is directly responsible for ensuring that medical benefits are provided. This insurance, which is paid for by regular monthly deductions from every salary, covers all hospital and medical expenses of the policeman or policewoman, their spouse and their children. This has been the case since the Federal Police was established in 1947.

The Federal Police has a hospital complex in the capital, the Churruca-Visca (named after two persons whose donations made possible its construction), that serves all the insured in the capital and cases that arrive from elsewhere in the country. The Churruca-Visca is considered South America's best police hospital, with leading-edge technology and specialists in all medical fields, and particularly outstanding in various areas of surgery.

Outside the capital, policemen and policewomen, their spouses and their children can approach and be served in any hospital. They are not required to make payments to the hospital, and costs are not deducted from their salaries; coverage is paid for by the police force's medical insurance plan. Serious cases that require special attention are usually flown to the Churruca-Visca hospital complex by an airplane or helicopter (the latter for shorter distances) of the Federal Police. Throughout the country, including the capital, there are designated medical doctors who provide their services free of charge to those covered by the Federal Police medical plan. The list of designated doctors is revised every month, and revisions are published in the monthly magazine of the Superintendencia de Bienestar, which is distributed to all those served by the Superintendencia.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Departamento de Informacion Publica de la Policia Federal, Buenos Aires. 30 September 1998. Telephone interview with representative.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. 1989-96.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1989-90.

Latin American Regional Reports: Andean Group Report [London]. 1985-90.

Newspapers and periodicals pertaining to the appropriate region.

Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases, Global NewsBank, NEXIS, Refworld, WNC.
Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country and subject-specific books available in the Resource Centre are not included.