Christine Folch

Swine flu has followed the footsteps of winter. After killing plenty of people in the Northern hemisphere, it's made its way down south, to spread here (and being especially nasty in Argentina). Reports in Paraguay have the number of deaths at 22, but my trust of health care and health statistics in this country is non-existent and I'd rather take my luck with traditional healers than step through the doors of anything resembling a hospital or clinic. So, given that most of the flu in this country is H1N1, my guess is that more than 22 have died. And I've basically taken to carrying disinfectant hand gel and taking zinc vitamins to stay healthy.

And then the news came last week: Brazilians have been coming in droves to buy Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) without a prescription in the pharmacies of Ciudad del Este. Supplies of the anti-retroviral drug are basically out in Brazil (Argentina didn't even have hand sanitizer when I was there two weeks ago, so I don't even know what to think of its medical supply) and so thousands cross the border in search of the real thing or generic imitations--called Laporcina, Oselta, and Biosid.

Sure, this is something that should only be administered under doctor's orders. And there's enough contraband and pirating in Ciudad del Este that anything could be faked. But, there's no telling when Paraguay's stocks will run out and I have an unwavering mistrust of medical advice down here...