Report N. 43 Health Monitor February 2021-Venezuela

43

BOLETÍN FEBRUARY 2

0

2

1

«© Convite, A.C., [2021]. Reservados todos los derechos».

Este Boletín es parte del proyecto “Monitor de Salud”, desarrollado por Convite, A.C., y sus organizaciones aliadas contenido es responsabilidad exclusiva de Convite, A.C.

FICHA TÉCNICA Proyecto

Convite: Monitor de Salud

Componente/ Actividad

MONITOREO DEL ÍNDICE DE ESCASEZ DE

Directora del proyecto

Francelia Ruíz

Coordinador de Contenido

Luis Francisco Cabezas

Título del Documento

BOLETÍN MENSUAL

Periodo

Febrero 2020

Edición

Francelia Ruiz

Investigación

Yanireth Fernández

Diagramación y diseño

Camilo Escobar , Catherine Guevara

Diseño muestral y procesamiento estadístico

Miguel Padrón

MEDICAMENTOS ESENCIALES

ORGANIZACIONES ALIADAS Y EQUIPOS DE LEVANTAMIENTO LOCALES Área Metropolitana de Caracas Convite

Maturín Organización Codehciu

ALEXANDER MONSALVE

MARIANGEL BALZA

SANDRA PEPE

LUIS VILLAFRANCA

DIEGO RAMÍREZ

LILIANNY GONZÁLEZ

Barquisimeto

SURIANNY CORASPE

Convite JOSÉ RAMÓN QUERO LISSETTY PÉREZ ISABEL BRAVO AQUILES QUERO CARMEN QUIÑONES Mérida

Organización Defensa en Acción

Organización Funcamama

ADRIANA PÉREZ PEDRO DÍAZ JESLIMAR JAGGERNAUTH GUSTAVO FLORES San Juan de Los Morros Organización Fundación Váyalo

Organización Kapé-Kapé

LUIS ALVARADO

RAIZA GUAIPO

JOSÉ GREGORIO ROMERO

MARY CARMEN SALAZAR

MARIANTONELIA CEDEÑO

CARLOS R TORRES RANIER RAFAEL RICCIARDI

Maracaibo Organización Mulier ESTEFANÍA MENDOZA MAYERLING GUERRERO

Valencia

Organización Crea País

Ciudad Bolívar

Organización Promedehum Puerto La Cruz

San Carlos

ALEXANDRA NAVA GAUDYS PÉREZ

JAVIER ARÉVALO Puerto Ordaz Organización Codehciu MAIRIS BALZA NORKIS SALAZAR ROXANA MATHEUS ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ

San Fernando de Apure Convite

FUNCAMAMA YANIRA SUAREZ

Valera

WIECZA SANTOS

CARMEN BUENO

Centro de Animación Juvenil

PEDRO DE LA ROSA

ARACELYS COLMENAREZ

XIOMARA MONTILLA

LUIS RODRIGUEZ

San Felipe CONVITE ALISSON BRICEÑO JUAN SÁNCHEZ ZOBEIDA PIÑA

KIMBERLY MONTILLA OTILIA PAREDES FRANCISCO BRICEÑO

MIRIAM SOTO

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF AGGREGATE RESULTS OF THE MEDICINE SHORTAGE INDEX MEASUREMENTS FOR FEBRUARY 2021 CHRONOLOGICAL DETAILS OF THE SURVEY Period and Frequency of Data Collection The survey consisted of two measurements conducted on February 25 and 26, 2021.

For further information on the technical data sheet of the survey and other methodological details, please refer to Newsletter No. 1, September 2017, available at: https://conviteblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/17/informes-de-septiembre-del-proyectomonitoreo-del-derecho-a-la-salud-en-venezuela/

Fifteen Years Promoting and Defending the Social Rights of All People The civil association Convite was established on February 2, 2006. It was an initiative promoted by Joaquín D’Elia and myself as a diverse, broad-based platform to conduct research on issues relating to the guarantee and enforceability of social rights, but also as a place for researchers from different fields to come up with proposals and impart knowledge on social issues.

Like all beginnings, this was not without obstacles, but we were convinced that we could contribute to the construction and dissemination of a culture of rights, where people could see themselves as holders of said rights and, consequently, as defenders thereof.

Another goal was to provide communities and organizations with tools to enhance their capacities for enforceability and impact in order to expand them within the communities and organizations themselves. For that reason, we started to work in popular sectors with grassroots organizations in various parts of the country.

That is how our Community Observatory of the Right to Health and the Observatory of Decentralization and Social Agendas came into being, among many other initiatives, always in alliance with other organizations.

In like manner, we began to bring to the attention of the public agenda an issue that had been notably overlooked in political discussion fora: the aging of the population. We began to research the subject and, at the same time, we took a step further and designed a training program — first of its kind in the country— for the people who provide home care to the elderly, with 280 individuals trained so far.

Additionally, we presented and submit for the first time for Universal Periodic Review a report on the situation of the human rights of the elderly in Venezuela, and we were granted a thematic hearing at an inter-American venue to address the status of the human rights of older people in Venezuela.

MONITOR DE SALUD

4

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

We designed our Medicine Shortage Index, which is a collaborative effort that started in the state of Miranda and in the Capital District in 2016, but one that now covers the cities of Mérida, Maracaibo, Valera, Barquisimeto, Valencia, San Carlos, San Juan de los Morros, Puerto La Cruz, San Fernando de Apure, San Felipe, Ciudad Bolívar, and Puerto Ordaz.

This, our newsletter No. 43, is the result of uninterrupted and rigorous work, with the valuable contribution of sister organizations such as PROMEDEHUM (an organization that promotes, educates in, and defends human rights), Mulier (a non-profit organization that promotes gender equality, feminism, and the rights of women), FUNCAMAMA (Foundation for the Fight Against Breast Cancer), Fundación Váyalo (a foundation that empowers the young and promotes their participation in achieving sustainable development goals), Defensa en Acción (Advocacy In Action), CODEHCIU (Commission for Human Rights and Citizenry), Kapé-Kapé (an organization that identifies and addresses the most pressing needs of indigenous communities in Venezuela), Centro de Animación Juvenil (a youth organization that promotes training in citizen values and human rights), and Crea País, and many others that are no longer with us but which made an important contribution to our objectives, such as the CADEF (Human Rights Action and Defense Center), and Stop VIH (an organization that raises awareness on HIV and AIDS. Even in the thick of a complex humanitarian emergency such Venezuela’s, we have broaden our scope of action to provide humanitarian assistance all across the country, which we have been doing for five years now, with the support of an extraordinary ally such as Acción Solidaria (Action In Solidarity), a NGO dedicated to fight HIV/AIDS in Venezuela and distribute HIV/AIDS medicines. We are now part of the humanitarian architecture of the United Nations, reaching more and more people and making a name for ourselves in the humanitarian world.

Turning fifteen in a scenario fraught with obstacles, persecution and criminalization, makes our anniversary more valuable. We celebrate it by doing what we do best: creating support networks, articulating our work with that of others, valuing the contribution of regional allies, and always putting people and their rights first.

Many thanks to our wonderful team, to those who have been part thereof, and to those who continue working with us in furtherance of a more inclusive, equitable society for all ages. We in Convite regard ourselves as AGENTS OF CHANGE, and WE SHALL PREVAIL.

Luis Francisco Cabezas G. Executive Director

MONITOR DE SALUD

5

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

AGGREGATED RESULTS FOR THE MEDICINE SHORTAGE INDEX: FEBRUARY, 2021

Behavior and Evolution of the Shortage Index at the National Level Depression (61 percent), seizures (56 percent), and acute infections of the respiratory tract (53 percent) remain the causes of morbidity with the highest drug shortage rates at the national level. However, the indicators, as well as those associated with the other morbidities surveyed, have been showing a gradual reduction since the beginning of the year 2021. In this connection, February saw a downward trend and a larger availability of essential medicines to treat the six causes of morbidity herein.

Chart No. 1: Behavior of the Aggregate Medicine Shortage Index at the National Level. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

6

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

BEHAVIOR OF THE MEDICINE SHORTAGE INDEX AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL

Chart No. 2: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index at the Regional Level. February 2021.

CITIES WITH THE WORST SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES According to our survey, Puerto Ordaz is at the top of the list among cities with the worst supply of essential medicines. Its shortage indicators by cause of morbidity range from 60 percent to 91 percent. Depression and other personality disorders, neurological disorders that trigger seizures, acute respiratory infections (ARI), and diabetes are the most difficult for patients in the southern city to control because of the poor stock of drugs to treat them.

On the other hand, San Felipe moves down a notch, although its performance in statistical terms is not much different when compared against previous reports, with shortage indicators in excess of 50 percent.

The Metropolitan Area of Caracas comes third, followed by Maturín and, finally, San Fernando de Apure.

MONITOR DE SALUD

7

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

PUERTO ORDAZ

Chart No. 3: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Puerto Ordaz. February 2021.

SAN FELIPE

Chart No. 4: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. San Felipe. February, 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

8

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

ÁREA METROPOLITANA DE CARACAS (AMC)

Chart No. 5: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Metropolitan Area of Caracas. February 2021.

MATURÍN

Chart No. 6: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Maturín. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

9

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

SAN FERNANDO DE APURE

Chart No. 7: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. San Fernando. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

10

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

CITIES WITH THE BEST SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES

In February, Ciudad Bolívar, Valencia, Barquisimeto, San Carlos, Mérida, Valera, Maracaibo, and San Juan were the cities with the best supply of medicines. In these regional capital cities, drugs to treat the causes of morbidity surveyed recorded shortage indicators smaller than the national weighted averages. Nevertheless, medicines prescribed to control depression and seizures are still understocked (over 50 percent shortage), as they are in the other cities in the sample, with the exception of Ciudad Bolivar, Valencia, and Barquisimeto. It is important to note that it is the first time that Barquisimeto makes the cut in the last two years, thanks its substantially improved supply indicators.

CIUDAD BOLÍVAR

Chart No. 8: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Ciudad Bolívar. February 2021.

VALENCIA

Chart No. 9: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Valencia. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

11

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

BARQUISIMETO

Chart No. 10: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Barquisimeto. February 2021.

SAN CARLOS

Chart No. 11: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. San Carlos. February 2021

MONITOR DE SALUD

12

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

MÉRIDA

Chart No. 12: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Mérida. February 2021.

VALERA

Chart No. 13: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Valera. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

13

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

MARACAIBO

Chart No. 14: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. Maracaibo. February 2021.

SAN JUAN

Chart No. 15: Behavior of the Medicine Shortage Index per City. San Juan. February 2021.

MONITOR DE SALUD

14

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

BEHAVIOR OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ESSENTIAL MEDICINES Below there are the average consumer prices, as expressed in Venezuelan sovereign bolivares (VES), for the most common active ingredients prescribed in Venezuela to treat hypertension, type II diabetes, and depression and other personality disorders.

Initially, the sample that we used for the purposes of monitoring price behavior only included pharmacies and similar establishments in the city of Caracas, but the list now includes the cities of Mérida and San Fernando de Apure, which adds to the sample and improves measurement.

AVERAGE MONTHLY CONSUMER PRICE (VES) PER ACTIVE INGREDIENT. BOTTLE OF 30 TABLETS

Table No. 1: Average Monthly Consumer Price (in VES) per Active Ingredient. February 2021.

AVERAGE MONTHLY CONSUMER PRICE (IN VES) PER ACTIVE INGREDIENT. BOTTLE OF 30 TABLETS

Chart No. 16: Consumer Price. Bottle with 30 Tablets. November 2020 - February 2021.

An individual with coronary heart disease and high blood pressure needs more than VES 6,000,000.00 to buy one month’s worth of treatment with Amlodipine 5 mg alone, and a little more than VES 8,000,000.00 to buy 30 tablets of 5 mg Losartan potassium. If his/her sole source of income is the minimum monthly wage (VES 2,400,000.00 as of February) or the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security pension (VES 1,200,000.00), he/she will find it very hard to comply with the prescribed treatment. As for Glibenclamide 5 mg and Metformin 850 mg, which are active ingredients in the treatment to control type II diabetes, their price is currently in excess of VES 10,000,000.00, which few people in Venezuela can afford. Sertraline 50 mg, an active ingredient that is used to keep mental illnesses at bay, sold at more than VES 17,000,000.00 in February, one of the highest prices recorded in the survey and one that would require a patient to spend more than 14 months of pension to cover only 30 days of treatment.

MONITOR DE SALUD

15

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

VENEZUELA

National February 4, World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day, which is dedicated to the fight against cancer, has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in order to raise awareness of the disease and rally society to encourage its prevention and control.

What is cancer?

Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the world and it has killed numerous people who unfortunately could not overcome it. It involves the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells and can appear anywhere in the body and spread to any part thereof. Tumors usually invade the surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant body organs, which is the case for most types of cancer except leukemia (cancer of the body’s 1

blood-forming tissues).

Risk Factors

Cancer occurs in various forms and due to multiple causes. In many cases, risk factors cannot be modified, such as age or genetics, but cancer can be prevented in about one third of cases by modifying or controlling certain conditions.

The factors that we can control, and which most commonly lead to cancer and to other non-communicable diseases, include: • Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs • Poor diet, low intake of fruits and vegetables • Lack of physical inactivity • Radiation and exposure to carcinogenic agents.

• Certain infections. Some of the specific risk factors for cancer include chronic infections from human papilloma virus (HPV) —for cervical cancer—, hepatitis B and C —for liver cancer—, and H. pylori —for stomach cancer.

1. https://www.who.int/topics/cancer/es/#:~:text=El%20c%C3%A1ncer%20es%20un%20proceso,en%20puntos%20distantes%20del%20organismo.

MONITOR DE SALUD

16

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

2

Figures According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

• It is estimated that approximately 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will have cancer at some point in their lives.

• More than 14 million new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year.

• The disease causes 9.6 million deaths annually.

• In the Americas, cancer is the second leading cause of death. An estimated 3.8 million people were diagnosed in 2018 and 1.4 million died from the disease. Approximately 57 percent of new cancer cases and 47 percent of cancer deaths occur in people 69 years of age or younger, just when they are in the prime of their lives.

• The most frequently diagnosed cancers among men are cancer of the prostate gland (21.7 percent), lung cancer (9.5 percent), colorectal cancer (8 percent), bladder cancer (4.6 percent), and stomach cancer (2.9 percent). Among women, the types of cancer with the highest incidence are breast cancer (25.2 percent), lung cancer (8.5 percent), colorectal cancer (8.2 percent), thyroid cancer (5.4 percent), and cervical cancer (3.9 percent).

• Last year, 1.4 million people died of cancer and 4 million people were diagnosed for the first time with the disease.

• If no action is taken, it is predicted that by 2030, the number of people diagnosed with cancer will increase by 32 percent and will rise to more than 5 million people per year in the Americas because of its aging population, changes in lifestyle, and exposure to risk factors.

Venezuela’s Profile According to Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO)

3

• Total cancer cases (2018): 61,979 • Total cancer deaths (2018): 30,968 • Types of cancer with the highest incidence rate: breast cancer (14.9 percent) and prostate cancer (12 percent) • Types of cancer with the highest mortality rate: lung cancer (14.7 percent) and prostate cancer (11 percent) • In 2018, 9,215 cases of breast cancer were recorded, and it is estimated that by 2040 this figure will be as high as 15,586 cases.

In Venezuela, there are no official cancer data available. There is secrecy on the part of the entities concerned. No figures on cancer incidence and mortality have been released since 2014. However, a number of foundations, medical offices, and NGOs that engage in the prevention and mitigation of cancer and its 4

consequences have managed to compile the following statistics, based on their research work:

• According to the Venezuelan Anti-Cancer Society, almost 100,000 years in terms of life expectancy were lost to breast cancer and cervical cancer by 2019

2. https://www.paho.org/es/campa%C3%B1as/dia-mundial-contra-cancer-2020-yo-soy-voy

3. https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&view=download&category_slug=4-cancer-country-profiles-2020&alias=51525-venezuela-cancerprofile-2020&Itemid=270&lang=es

4. Statistics from the Venezuelan Anti-Cancer Society; FUNCAMAMA; Senos Ayuda, and the WHO.

MONITOR DE SALUD

17

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

• It is estimated that women lost between 19 and 24 years of life expectancy in 2019 • In 2019, 3119 women died in Venezuela to breast cancer • Every single day, eight women die in Venezuela for lack of medical care • The number of women seeking care in a public healthcare facility is 471,390 • Only 349,238 women (approximately 6 percent) can afford to have a mammogram made in a private healthcare center • There is a 93 percent shortage of drugs to treat cancer • Thirty percent (30 percent) of all mastology specialists in the state of Carabobo have left the country • Dr. Luis Pérez Perdomo, a surgeon and oncologist for the Anti-Cancer Society of the State of Lara, noted that breast cancer is the leading breast pathology in the region. Forty to 50 percent of the patients that are treated at the Anti-Cancer Society come from the states of Portuguesa, Yaracuy, and Falcón.

It is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of cancers can be prevented by reducing exposure to risk factors. Public health policies should promote individual healthy lifestyle choices.

Many cancers, especially cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer, can be detected early and treated effectively through organized early diagnosis programs and access to timely treatment. The PAHO/WHO work with member countries on different aspects related to cancer prevention and control.

Since 2019, the motto of the World Cancer Day campaign is “I am and I will”, calling on anyone to stand up to cancer. Any individual action can make a global change. On World Cancer Day, the question is: Who are you and what are you going to do.

In the meantime, in some regions…

BOLÍVAR

Hospitals in Ciudad Guayana without Nurses

5

Ciudad Guayana has long-standing health staff problems, including the lack of transportation to move to and from the workplace. In 2018, people protested and put pressure on Governor Justo Noguera who, as a result, agreed to allocate two TransBolívar public transportation units, one covering the San Félix route, and the other one covering the Puerto Ordaz route, to service. Unfortunately, said service has been irregular, and just recently TransBolivar removed several stops from its routes and left more than 60 hospital personnel without transportation in Ciudad Guayana.

If most nurses were already missing work because public transportation was irregular and because they could not afford to pay a ride in a private unit, the situation is currently even worse. People are working under the most precarious conditions, without supplies, uniforms, or protection devices, and now without transportation.

5.

SIVERIO, Jhoalys (01 de febrero de 2021). Sigue en ascenso ausencia de enfermeras en hospitales de Ciudad Guayana. Disponible en: https://cronica.uno/

sigue-en-ascenso-ausencia-de-enfermeras-en-hospitales-de-ciudad-guayana/

MONITOR DE SALUD

18

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

Maritza Moreno, who is the chairwoman of the Nursing Association of Ciudad Guayana, notes that most of the nurses who stopped attending hospitals as of 2021, did so because they moved to another country or because they decided to work in the informal sector, which pays more. It makes no sense moneywise to work at a hospital for less than USD 4.00 a month; much less when you have to spend more than four hours waiting for a bus, if it arrives, to get to the hospital. That is why a number of areas of Ciudad Guayana’s hospital are practically deserted.

It is estimated that around 70 percent of the nursing workforce in Ciudad Guayana had quit their jobs by 2020.

THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF CARACAS

HIV Patients and Patients with Rheumatic Diseases, Out in the Cold

6

On February 11, the medical staff of the Immunology and Rheumatology Clinical Centre, attached to the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (IVSS, by its Spanish acronym), located in San Bernardino, Caracas, was notified that the service would be transferred to the José Gregorio Hernández Hospital. The unexpected order, which was taken unhesitatingly, was that the place should be vacated within 24 hours. It is a painful situation for the workers of this important specialty center that amounts to no less than to the dismantling of a service that has been providing quality assistance for more than 20 years.

Acción Ciudadana Contra el Sida (Citizen Action Against HIV – ACCSI, by its Spanish acronym), a non-governmental organization that works in the field of HIV-AIDS, reported that the transfer of all the equipment was imminent, and noted that the IVSS is yet to make an official statement on how consultations will be scheduled and on how the pharmacies that serve people with HIV and rheumatic conditions will operate.

The service is expected to open in the José Gregorio Hernández hospital, but it is unclear whether the pharmacy that distributes antiretroviral drugs will be. The staff, to the date hereof, had not received a written notice in that connection. The service’s users, overcome with anguish and uncertainty, demanded that the service should not be allowed to deteriorate, for it provides almost 4,000 people in the Greater Caracas area with specialized consultations and two important pharmacies that dispense antiretroviral drugs and medication for rheumatic diseases such as lupus and arthritis that must be treated with drugs known as “high cost”.

6. SARMIENTO, Mabel (11 de febrero de 2021). Desmantelaron el Centro Clínico de Inmunología y Reumatología de San Bernardino. Disponible en: https://cronica.uno/ desmantelaron-el-centro-clinico-de-inmunologia-y-reumatologia/

MONITOR DE SALUD

19

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

TÁCHIRA 7 The demand for home oxygen therapy in San Cristóbal has spiked Just as the number of COVID-19 cases increased after the December period of flexibilization and, more recently, during the February carnival holiday, it was inevitable that the demand for home oxygen therapy spiked. Many of the people who have been diagnosed as COVID-19 positive have preferred to treat themselves at home, with the need for home oxygen soaring by more than 300 percent so far this year.

At present, there are approximately 25 companies that provide home oxygen therapy services in San Cristobal, and it appears that the number of oxygen cylinders in stock is not large enough to meet the existing demand. The companies’ owners are concerned about the situation because, if there is an emergency and they have no more oxygen to provide, people could die in their homes. More and more people prefer not to be treated in the public hospitals of the entity.

An oxygen cylinder sells at USD 30 to USD 35, that is almost 70 million bolivars (at the time of the report), and its duration depends on the respiratory condition of the affected person. If the symptoms are mild, patients can use a single cylinder for several days, but if the symptoms are serious, they may need up to five cylinders in single day.

Spokespeople for the oxygen companies insist that they remain committed to providing the service for medicinal use, given the current situation facing the state. However, they had made it clear that their corporate purposes include the supply of industrial oxygen. They hope the healthcare situation will improve because, although their operating income has increased, there is no company in the field with the capacity to respond to all the cases.

Accordingly, they urge the community to take steps as necessary to prevent the collapse of the entire healthcare system, of which the providers of oxygen therapy and medical supplies are part.

ANZOATEGUI Insecurity and Defective Infrastructure Affect Medical Attention at the Razetti Hospital 8 in Barcelona.

The hospital’s storm-water and sewage pipes date back to more than 50 years, so it is natural that they are worn; but despite the request of the hospital staff to have them replaced, the relevant authorities decided to continue with other works such as the reactivation of medical areas and services, while the problems associated with the inundation of spaces remain unsolved. The seepage has damaged areas including surgery, operating room, emergency room, and even a wing of the Human Resources Department, which had to be shot down. The workers claim that the situation is serious, since the leakage has resulted in contamination and mold that affect the health of those who work in the facilities.

In addition to the problem aforesaid and the lack of supplies, which are now constant, the workers of the Razetti hospital must face other difficulties. On the one hand, they are being harassed from a radio show; on the other 7.

BARRERA, Ana (February 7, 2021). “Proveedores de oxígeno no se dan abasto para satisfacer la demanda en San Cristóbal.” [Oxygen Therapy Providers Struggle to Meet

Demand in San Cristóbal.” Available at:Disponible en: https://cronica.uno/proveedores-de-oxigeno-no-se-dan-abasto-para-satisfacer-la-demanda-en-san-cristobal/

8. CAMACHO, José Alberto (February 19, 2021). “Entre filtraciones, hostigamiento y delincuencia se trabaja en el hospital Razetti de Barcelona.” [The Razetti Hospital in Barcelona Amidst Leaks, Harassment and Crime and Delinquency.] Disponible en: Disponible en: https://cronica.uno/entre-filtraciones-hostigamiento-y-delincuencia-se-trabaja-enel-hospital-razetti-de-barcelona/

MONITOR DE SALUD

20

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

hand, they are exposed to the assault of criminals who roam the hospital areas with impunity. It appears that there is a smear and intimidation campaign in place that places the blame for stolen supplies on the hospital’s workers and, therefore, for the lack of medical supplies. As for the outlaws, they walk freely around the hospital and grab everything in their path; “thefts and aggressions against the personnel have resumed in the hospital, and the authorities do nothing,” say the injured parties.

Personal administrativo, obrero y enfermeros del hospital Luis Razetti, indicaron que ya no aguantan las condiciones en las que laboran por lo que instaron a las autoridades a resolver cuanto antes los problemas de infraestructura, seguridad y todo lo relacionado a materia salarial.

LARA 9 Deterioration is Eroding the Pastor Oropeza Hospital in Barquisimeto.

The health personnel of the Pastor Oropeza Hospital in Barquisimeto have repeatedly protested against the poor conditions of their health care center. Low wages, weeks without drinking water service, and lack of biosecurity material and gear to protect themselves against COVID-19 are anything but decent working conditions to deliver quality care Alberto Domínguez, president of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security chapter in the state of Lara, asserted that the hospital’s healthcare personnel are paid a meager monthly salary. “In Pastor Oropeza, there is no way to fight the coronavirus pandemic. They have no water, much less biosecurity equipment. On top of that, the workers are earning a salary of USD 2.00, which is not even enough for them to buy bus fare,” added Domínguez.

9.

ESCALONA, José (February 22, 2021). “Trabajadores del Hospital Pastor Oropeza protestan por escasez agua y salarios dignos.” [Pastor Oropeza Hospital Workers Protest

Over Water Shortage and Poor Wages]. Available at: Disponible en: https://www.elimpulso.com/2021/02/22/fotos-por-segunda-vez-trabajadores-del-hospital-pastororopeza-protestan-por-escasez-agua-y-salarios-dignos-22feb/

MONITOR DE SALUD

21

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRERO 2020 #THE COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION The Fundación de Lucha Contra el Cáncer de Mama (Foundation for the Fight Against Breast Cancer FUNCAMAMA) was established on July 9, 2002, on the initiative of a group of young women, including its founder and current chairwoman, Luisa Rodríguez Táriba. They were concerned that several women in their families had unfortunately been diagnosed with breast cancer and there was not enough information or specialized and adequate medical care for them at the time, nor were there any institutions to address their needs. What started out as Rodríguez Táriba’s degree dissertation, materialized into FUNCAMAMA, an organization that has taken a path full of challenges and has continuously evolved to become a reputable institution in its field of expertise, recognized domestically and internationally, with an experience of 20 years.

Initially, FUNCAMAMA dealt with women cancer (breast, ovarian, cervix) but, in response to the demands of the community, it extended its scope of patient care to non-communicable diseases and turned into a healthcare center whose motto is “Early diagnosis: The best tool to save lives”.

FUNCAMAMA has a prevention and care program in place that now covers ovarian, cervical, and endometrial pathologies, all closely related to breast cancer. As of 2016, they have been offering a service mix that comprises procedures for the prevention, screening, and care of breast, ovarian, and cervical cancer, with state-of-the-art equipment and highly qualified medical staff in each specialty. Although the program is focused on women, it also includes men. Men can also be affected by breast cancer, albeit in a lower percentage. It should also be noted that FUNCAMAMA contributes to prostate cancer prevention with informative talks, urology consultations, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests in their clinical laboratory.

FUNCAMAMA is one of the few foundations in Latin America with a medical service program in 25 specialties: mastology, oncology, gynecology, internal medicine, urology, nephrology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, nutriology, aesthetic medicine, occupational medicine, psychology, physiotherapy, and cosmetology. Imaging services are also offered, including mammograms, breast, transvaginal, abdominal, prostate, testicular, pelvic, thyroid, and soft tissue ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound, and bone densitometry. It also has a clinical laboratory where routine and specialized tests, tumor marker screening, and biopsies are performed.

At present, FUNCAMAMA serves more than 10,000 women directly and 700,000 indirectly on an annual basis, which makes it a global reference in comprehensive prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

MONITOR DE SALUD

22

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

FUNCAMAMA, in addition to providing health care, its work also includes activities in the five areas below: • Get Informed [Information]: Activities to promote and disseminate the importance of comprehensive health care and timely diagnosis across the community through informative campaigns and talks, opinion columns, radio micro-broadcasts, newsletters, and videos in all types of digital media (website, blog, social networks).

• Take Care of Yourself [Self-Care]: Activities to promote self-care as a means of curtailing immunosuppression, currently via digital conferences, talks, and workshops.

• Get Screened [Screening]: Activities that encourage attendance to health centers and offering diagnostic tests at low prices for cancer prevention.

• Love Yourself [Self-Love]: Activities that provide emotional support, counseling, and psychological guidance to people with non-communicable health conditions and their caregivers.

• Hands-On [Action]: Activities for volunteer training, participation in congresses, symposia, and workshops in the areas of oncology, mastology, and advocacy; public advocacy through the human rights organizations to which FUNCAMAMA belongs; training activities for advanced students in medicine and psychology, such as the Mastology Update Conference, the Psycho-Oncology Conference, and the Medical and Health Journalism Workshop for journalism and media students.

FUNCAMAMA remains active in these five areas and is readily available for guidance and attention: “Si no sabes dónde acudir, Funcamama espera por ti”

[If you don’t know where to go, FUNCAMAMA is waiting for you]

For more information on FUNCAMAMA, go to www.funcamama.org. @funcamama

MONITOR DE SALUD

23

CONVITE, A.C. FEBRUARY 2021

ALIADOS

Follow us on @conviteac

Convite Asociación

WWW.CONVITEAC.ORG.VE