The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of a heightened risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that have overwhelmed the country’s healthcare system.
According to AFP, the UN health agency said hospitals in the affected areas are struggling to cope with the growing number of casualties, raising concerns over the spread of infectious diseases.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said health facilities were operating beyond capacity due to the influx of injured patients.
“The health services are under extreme pressure now, with facilities operating beyond their capacity,” he said during a press briefing in Geneva.
Official figures show that about 1,700 people have been killed and 5,000 injured, while the number of missing persons remains unclear.
The WHO said low vaccination coverage before the disaster has increased the risk of outbreaks of diseases such as measles, diphtheria and yellow fever, alongside mosquito and water-borne illnesses including malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
Lindmeier disclosed that Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, informed the agency that 38 hospitals had been affected by the twin earthquakes.
Assessments carried out by the WHO in 21 health facilities across Caracas, La Guaira, Miranda and Falcón found that three hospitals were in critical condition, while six had sustained structural damage or were only partially operational.
The agency said overcrowding, delayed surgeries, overstretched health workers and the collapse of forensic and morgue services were among the major challenges facing the country’s healthcare system.
“Preliminary findings reveal chaotic service delivery and patient flow, marked by overcrowding, growing surgical backlogs… breakdown in biosafety measures, and severely stressed staff,” Lindmeier said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned that limited access to humanitarian aid was increasing tensions in affected communities.
The agency said it requires about $14.85 million to provide emergency protection, relief materials and temporary shelter for 30,000 people affected by the disaster over the next six months.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also said it was expanding psychological support and humanitarian assistance for thousands of survivors left homeless by the earthquakes.
