Disease outbreaks, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water could pose major health risks to tens of thousands of survivors of Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes, the Americas branch of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.
Venezuela has opened more than 80 shelters for those whose homes were destroyed in twin quakes on 24 June, with the number of displaced reaching 17,907 by Thursday.
Poor shelter conditions could leave many survivors especially vulnerable, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Jarbas Barbosa said.
"In the coming weeks, the greatest health risks may stem not only from injuries caused by the earthquakes, but also from disruptions to health services, overcrowded conditions, deficiencies in water and sanitation and reduced access to vaccination and routine healthcare," Barbosa said.
PAHO will work with Venezuela's health ministry to monitor for potential outbreaks of respiratory or digestive illnesses and is urging access to vaccines, said Barbosa, who is also WHO Regional Director for the Americas.
It will also work with the government to incorporate field hospitals and shelters into an early warning system tracking diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, febrile syndromes and vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations' top humanitarian official said the twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, would be “incredibly difficult” for any government to manage.
The United Nations is aiming to reach 1.3 million people in the next six months who are most critically in need of humanitarian support.
Authorities raised the death toll on Thursday to 3,889, while the number of injured remained at 16,740.
While residents have criticised a slow state response, Fletcher said a UN coordination cell established with the government has been working well to facilitate international aid.
The UN has already mobilised more than $300 million in coordinated support, said Fletcher, adding that nearly 40,000 people have already received food aid in the two weeks since the response began.
Deteriorated system
Venezuela's health system has deteriorated significantly after years of economic crisis, contributing to a lack of immediate care after the quakes, said Ciro Ugarte, PAHO's director for health emergencies.
"The shortage of essential services in the immediate aftermath was critical, and facilities that had not been intended for trauma care or emergency patient treatment had to be adapted for that purpose throughout Venezuela," Ugarte said.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has defended the government's handling of the quakes amid criticism that civilians have led many of the rescue and recovery operations.
Three hundred victims in La Guaira, the hardest-hit state, were buried without being identified, but Venezuela's forensic service is keeping records to allow for matches at a later time, said Armando De Negri, PAHO's acting director in Venezuela.
Pakistan is pushing for urgent global action and greater climate funding as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attends COP31 in Türkiye, warning th...
Armenia has lost its voting rights and the ability to nominate officials for certain posts within the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organi...
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing dis...
Delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first formal talks in nine months. They did so with no agreement on what a ceasefire would be tied to or who gets to keep the land currently under Russian control.
At least 17 people have been reported killed in an explosion at a steel plant in western Türkiye, after a crane collapsed during maintenance work. The disaster has prompted a criminal investigation into what went wrong at the industrial facility.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
Armenia could lose its voting rights within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on 11 November after failing to pay membership fees for more than two years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said Washington believes the Russian President is prepared to reach a peace agreement under the right conditions, as U.S., Russian and Ukrainian delegations began trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 10 November.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
Two days of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi have ended with an agreement on a major prisoner exchange, but key disputes over security and territory remain unresolved.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Hundreds of schools in Italy have been evacuated following emailed bomb threats, as similar messages spread to Scotland and Ireland. Police say the threats are not credible.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment