Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health Study on Venezuela's Health Crisis

The political and economic crisis in recent years has crippled Venezuela’s health systems. This webinar discusses the impacts of the crisis on the population’s health and what can be done to address these impacts. The webinar is moderated by Tanya Gulliver-Garcia from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and begins with welcome remarks from Mariela Poleo, the President of the Simon Bolivar Foundation. Then, Shannon Doocy, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and Kathleen Page, Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, speak about a review of available evidence they conducted to assess the current health situation. The webinar concludes with a question-and-answer session with the speakers.

The study reveals the following key findings on the current health situation in Venezuela:

• Venezuela saw a 5% increase in maternal mortality during this period and infant deaths were 63.6% higher in 2016 than 2012.
• Vaccination coverage in Venezuela is well below the regional average, with a resurgence of many vaccine-preventable diseases, most notably measles.
• Venezuela's health infrastructure is crumbling, with more than 70% of public hospitals without regular access to water or electricity and transplant programs on hold since 2014.
• More than 90% of the population is living in poverty and 32% of children have chronic malnutrition, with one in three adults moderately or severely food insecure.
• There are 14.3 million people in Venezuela in need of humanitarian assistance. The 2020 humanitarian response plan required $763 million in aid, but by August 2020 only $130 million in assistance had been provided.

Read the full report here

Read the key findings presentation here

Read the executive briefing here

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed in these discussions and any presentation are only those of the presenter, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of (nor are they endorsed by) the organization where the presenter works, the organizer of this conference, the Simón Bolívar Foundation or CITGO Petroleum Corporation. These discussions and presentations are for general information purposes only. They are not intended to constitute legal advice or a recommended course of action in any situation. Each recipient should consult an independent advisor before making any decision or taking any action related to the information provided during this meeting.