WVD’s Breakthrough Training in Argentina
This April, World Vasectomy Day (WVD) marked a powerful new chapter in our ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. From April 7 to 11, 2025, we led an intensive, hands-on training mission at Dr. Alberto Balestrini Hospital in La Matanza, training two local physicians in the no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) technique and officially launching Argentina’s first Mobile Vasectomy Clinic.
This effort is part of a broader strategy, initiated in 2024, to increase male participation in contraception and build a more equitable reproductive health system. In Buenos Aires, public health authorities have observed a significant rise in demand for vasectomies—evidence that men are becoming more engaged in reproductive matters and willing to share responsibility. However, vasectomy services have traditionally been confined to hospital operating rooms, limiting access and creating unnecessary delays. Recognizing this barrier, WVD and the Ministry joined forces to decentralize care by training providers in outpatient vasectomy services.
The April training was carefully coordinated by Lorena Setien, WVD’s Director for Argentina, and supported by the leadership of the Balestrini Hospital and Ministry officials. Dr. Josefina Algranati, a dedicated family physician and passionate advocate for reproductive health, and Dr. Pablo Szydlowicz, a urologist committed to male sexual health, were selected for training. Both had prior experience with vasectomy but sought to expand their skills by mastering the minimally invasive NSV technique and learning to safely perform the procedure outside the operating room.
Over the course of the week, the team completed a total of 71 vasectomies, including 64 procedures performed by the newly trained physicians and 7 live demonstrations conducted in the Mobile Vasectomy Clinic. This marked not only a technical achievement but a symbolic one—proving that mobile, community-based services can effectively meet demand and reach more people using infrastructure already in place.
This initiative builds on a strong foundation laid in November 2024, when the first training in the province took place at San Martín Hospital, led by WVD surgeons Drs. Eloisa González, John Curington, and Alex Galante. With visible support from key health leaders such as Dr. Jonathan Konfino, Under Secretary of Health Policy, the province has now set a bold goal: to expand NSV training to 10 hospitals by November 2025, when Argentina will proudly host the World Vasectomy Day global celebration.
What we’re seeing in Argentina is exactly what WVD stands for—collaborative, scalable, and sustainable solutions that empower men and improve public health. We’re not just training doctors; we’re transforming systems. We’re not just performing procedures; we’re changing perceptions.
As demand continues to rise and more men step forward, our message remains clear: vasectomy is an act of love, a commitment to equity, and a key piece of a just reproductive future.
