Shortage of surgical consumables at 78% in 2015 in Venezuela
In addition to the lack of medical and surgical materials, 90% of users must afford consumables in public hospitals nationwide
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Shortage of medical and surgical materials has jumped to 70% and 78%, respectively (Georgina Svieykowsky)
EL UNIVERSAL
Saturday December 19, 2015 12:00 AM
A year marked by the suspension of surgeries, the worsening of medical consumables shortage, and patients who have done their best to pay surgical materials to undergo surgery are some of the factors that brought about in 2015 the health crisis at hospitals in Venezuela. Moreover, 90% of users must buy consumables to be treated, warned "Doctors for Health," a group which gathers all the residents and specialist doctors of Caracas' public hospitals.
The group pointed out that this situation is happening within a context where shortage of medical and surgical materials has climbed to 70% and 78%, respectively. José Manuel Olivares, spokesperson of the group, said 58% of operating rooms are out of service, and 80% of equipment of imaging, resonance, and tomography are not working.
"It is alarming that hospitals fail to perform cardiovascular surgeries," Olivares stressed, adding that only at the University Hospital of Caracas 10,000 people are waiting for surgery, out of whom about 1,000 and 1,500 adults are waiting for cardiovascular and urological surgeries, respectively. To this, former director of Children's Hospital J.M. de los Ríos and president of the Venezuelan Pediatrics Society, Huníades Urbina, added the lack of specialists in intensive care, anesthesiology, and emergency. "The hospital has only one intensive care physician," he said.
This year representatives of the oncology services of the Children's Hospital J.M. de los Ríos headed at least five demonstrations due to the lack of anti-neoplasic drugs. This is an area with a deficit of 15 essential drugs.
Labor conflicts also forced medical centers to limit services to strict emergencies.
The group pointed out that this situation is happening within a context where shortage of medical and surgical materials has climbed to 70% and 78%, respectively. José Manuel Olivares, spokesperson of the group, said 58% of operating rooms are out of service, and 80% of equipment of imaging, resonance, and tomography are not working.
"It is alarming that hospitals fail to perform cardiovascular surgeries," Olivares stressed, adding that only at the University Hospital of Caracas 10,000 people are waiting for surgery, out of whom about 1,000 and 1,500 adults are waiting for cardiovascular and urological surgeries, respectively. To this, former director of Children's Hospital J.M. de los Ríos and president of the Venezuelan Pediatrics Society, Huníades Urbina, added the lack of specialists in intensive care, anesthesiology, and emergency. "The hospital has only one intensive care physician," he said.
This year representatives of the oncology services of the Children's Hospital J.M. de los Ríos headed at least five demonstrations due to the lack of anti-neoplasic drugs. This is an area with a deficit of 15 essential drugs.
Labor conflicts also forced medical centers to limit services to strict emergencies.
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