The province of Salta will start charging non-resident foreigners for care in public hospitals.

The local government assures it seeks "to guarantee the funding of the public health system".

However, it clarified that emergency cases will continue to receive free coverage for anyone who requires it.

Salta borders Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay, and usually receives in its hospitals many citizens of those nationalities.

Officials even denounced that trips are organized to Argentina to undergo expensive treatments, which are more accessible than in neighboring countries.

The governor of Salta, Gustavo Saenz, had anticipated the measure a few days ago, during an interview with channel La Nacion +.

"To charge foreigners as they charge us Argentines every time we go abroad" said the governor about hospital care.

"This does not mean discriminating, far from it", but he added: "If there is no money, the people of Salta come first", said Sáenz.