The Venezuelan health system is enduring a prolonged crisis. Following an economic downturn in 2014, the situation on the ground has gone from bad to worse. Harsh economic conditions within the country have had a significant impact on the nation’s health, with The Venezuelan Pharmaceutical Federation reporting that there is a shortage of 80% of medical supplies due to the economic crisis. Chronic underinvestment in the health system means it is now common for hospitals not to have running water and this combined with a lack of access to basic provisions, has led to a healthcare catastrophe.

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This problem is further compounded by another one of the major problems facing Venezuela- the mass exodus of its citizens: Over 6.8 million people have left Venezuela since 2014. Amongst these people are health workers and workers paying significant amounts of tax, meaning that the nation’s capacity to treat its sick has been significantly reduced. High inflation rates have also made it difficult for ordinary Venezuelans to obtain basic healthcare necessities.

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These factors have led to an exacerbation of underlying conditions and a flourishing of illness and disease. The British Medical Journal, The Lancet notes that, from 2016 to 2017, rates of increase in malaria were higher in Venezuela than in any other country in the world, while tuberculosis cases increased by 68% between 2014 and 2017. This problem looks to be endemic and fatal, with most HIV patients having to stop taking necessary medication for periods of time within the last few years because of a shortage of treatment.

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For many, staying in Venezuela is not a viable option and 40% of migrants reported lack of access to food and basic services as the primary motivating force for them leaving the country. Poor-quality health conditions within Venezuela are therefore forcing people to leave the country and as more people leave, less qualified health professionals are left operating in the area and even less money exists in the system – conditions which contribute to the continual worsening of the problem.

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The 2018 measles outbreak represents the fruition of this crisis. Though measles was declared extinct in the region in 2016, poor health conditions in Venezuela led to a fresh outbreak in 2018 which spread to over ten different nations, demonstrating how, in a globalised world, the inability Venezuelans have to access adequate treatment and care poses a tangible regional healthcare threat. The migration of people out of the country puts an additional strain on the already stretched health services of neighbouring countries. Yet even leaving the country does not solve the healthcare issue for many Venezuelans, as The International Rescue Committee has noted the various barriers to healthcare Venezuelans continue to face once they have left the country.

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What, then, is the solution? Despite barriers currently existing which impede the ability to make long-term, seismic change, there is still much impactful action which can be taken to radically improve health realities on the ground.

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IHP works in Venezuela with our partner, International Medical Corps, to assess needs and freely provide provisions. Once International Medical Corps communicates the need, we respond by delivering the required donated medicine.

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Such assessments by International Medical Corps have led us to sending out about 30,000 treatments to Venezuela in the past year, including antifungals, antibiotics, and analgesics, in addition to medicines to treat chronic diseases such as asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes. 

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IHP recently donated medicines to 13 health facilities across 3 different states, in addition to distributing treatments to a community organisation serving vulnerable people in Bolívar and Sucre states. The donated medications help address some of the most common conditions like urinary tract infections, anaemia, respiratory infections and gastritis, and are all distributed free of charge to patients. One such facility was El Perú Outpatient Clinic. 

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Dr Rosangel Petroccione, medical director of the clinic, said: 

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Our donations have ensured that vital medicines can now be accessed. This represents a palpable alteration in healthcare conditions on the ground. Though undeniable difficulties remain, the answer is not despondency, but action. It is with such a mindset that we operate in Venezuela and other countries with ongoing health needs. Working alongside our partner International Medical Corps, and with help from our donors, we are freely giving the best possible medical treatment to all those who need it, irrespective of social, economic, or religious background.

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