CGTN reporter visits: The long-term US sanctions on Venezuela's public health system have dealt a severe blow
Recently, CCTV reporters learned from interviews in several hospitals in Venezuela that under the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States for many years, Venezuela's public health system has suffered a severe blow. Not only is the shortage of doctors and medicines very common, but the updating and maintenance of routine medical equipment is also difficult due to obstructions to government procurement and overseas funding payments.
The small town of Guarenas is located about 35 kilometers east of the center of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. The reporter saw in a public hospital here that although the conditions and facilities seemed relatively old, there were many patients received. However, due to aging equipment and frequent failures, the problem of delayed diagnosis and treatment of patients was very prominent.
CCTV reporter Wang Yuguo: As early as five years ago, the hospital planned to replace their liquid oxygen storage equipment with a tank more than twice as large as the current one. However, due to sanctions, it is difficult for Venezuela to purchase the corresponding medical equipment on the international market.
The pharmaceutical products and equipment used in Venezuelan hospitals are mainly imported. Due to the United States' unilateral sanctions for many years and the freezing of assets of many Venezuelan institutions overseas, there is a huge gap in medicines, reagents and consumables in Venezuela's public hospitals. Various vaccines, especially the influenza vaccine, which is in great demand, are even more difficult to obtain.
Rodriguez, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly: This is a real adventure. In order for the vaccine to get here, it must be transferred through several countries. We have to try again and again to see what funds can be used for payment when a large amount of overseas funds have been frozen and embezzled.
Although far away from the downtown area of Caracas, the dialysis center of a hospital in the small town of Guarenas is well-known because there are more than 20 dialysis machines here, all of which were purchased from Switzerland with great difficulty two years ago.
CCTV reporter Wang Yuguo: This dialysis room can usually accept 61 patients for dialysis every day, but today it has increased to 72. This is because 11 patients were transferred from other hospitals. Accordingly, the opening hours here will be increased by four hours today.
Although the United States has repeatedly stated that its sanctions are not aimed at Venezuela's medical and other livelihood projects, the shortage of medical care and medicine exacerbated by the sanctions not only poses a serious threat to the vast number of ordinary patients in Venezuela, but also endangers their families.
"Without a doubt, the health sector is the most affected. This has not only had an impact on the patients, but also on the entire family, as medicines are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain," said Herrick, director of the Economic Development Department of the Caracas Mayor's Office.
