Ramona Medina

Ramona Medina (22 June 1977 – 17 May 2020) was an Argentine feminist activist from the village group La Poderosa of Villa 31, located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She lived in very precarious conditions with her family, in one of the most important agglomerations of the capital city. In May 2020, she died of COVID-19 after a short hospitalization at the Hospital Muñiz in Buenos Aires.

Ramona Medina
Born(1977-06-22)22 June 1977
Tucumán Province, Argentina
Died17 May 2020(2020-05-17) (aged 42)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
NationalityArgentine
OccupationActivist

Activism

As a reference and activist in her neighborhood, in addition to cooperating in the dining room, Medina was the Health Coordinator of the Casa de la Mujer in Villa 31.[1] At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Buenos Aires, Medina gained relevance in the media of mass communication due to the complaint of the lack of water in their neighborhood, which prevented them from maintaining basic hygiene care to avoid the spread of COVID-19.[2]

Consequences of poverty

Ramona was an insulin-dependent diabetic, a comorbidity that included her in the risk group for the pandemic. In May 2020, she was infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. After being admitted to the Hospital Muñiz, she died on 17 May 2020 at age 42.[3]

After her death, numerous political groups and social movements demonstrated to denounce the serious state of neglect in which millions of people live throughout the country, conditions aggravated by the pandemic.[4] Originating from these claims, in June 2020, a bill was presented in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies called "Ramona's Law"[5] in recognition of the workers of picnic areas and community kitchens during the health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] The law established the payment of an allowance recognition of a non-remunerative nature consisting of the payment of 5,000 Argentine pesos per month, extending as long as the public health emergency is in force in the country.[5] This initiative became operational in December 2020.[6]

Tributes

As a tribute, the health brigades of the Faculty of Exact Sciences of the National University of La Plata bear the name "Ramona Medina". The brigades are made up of more than 450 students, teachers, non-teachers and professionals graduated from the Faculty and their mission is to vaccinate, make alcohol and chinstraps, among other sanitary actions.[7][8]

One year after her death, the British musician Roger Waters remembered her as "one of our heroines".[9]

References
  1. "A un año de la muerte de Ramona Medina: denunció la falta de agua en la Villa 31 y murió por Covid". Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. "Quién era Ramona Medina, la referente de la villa 31 que murió por coronavirus tras denunciar la falta de agua y el aislamiento imposible". Buenos Aires: Clarín. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  3. "Murió por coronavirus Ramona Medina, la vecina del Barrio 31 que había denunciado la falta de agua en plena pandemia". Infobae. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  4. "Rio Negro. Movilizaron en Cipolletti en el marco de la jornada nacional por la emergencia alimentaria". 21 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  5. "Proyecto de Ley" (PDF).
  6. Piscetta, Juan (17 December 2020). ""Ley Ramona": el Gobierno le pagará $5000 durante un año a los esenciales de las organizaciones sociales". Buenos Aires: Infobae. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. "Brigadistas sanitarios llevarán el nombre de "Ramona Medina" para honrar a la militante". Telam. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  8. "Las Brigadas Ramona Medina se preparan para la vacunación". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  9. "Roger Waters y su recuerdo de Ramona Medina: "Una de nuestras heroínas"". Página 12. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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