What they say (and what not) of the health in Venezuela the last official figures published by the government

Remarkable and worrying.
Thus doctors define the figures published by the Ministry of Health of Venezuela, which show an increase in infant and maternal mortality and in cases of diseases such as malaria or diphtheria.
After almost two years of lack of data, the Ministry recently published the weekly epidemiological bulletins of 2016.
In the latter, the cumulative figures for 2016 are compared with those for 2015. There is a 30% increase in infant mortality and a 65.79% increase in maternal mortality.
Doctors consulted by BBC Mundo point out that the absence of a rate (in the case of infant mortality is measured by international agencies in deaths per 1,000 live births) prevents accurate conclusions and compare them with other countries.

But the numbers confirm the deterioration of the health system in Venezuela, hit by a serious economic crisis.
"This shows the scarcity of resources, nutrition problems, the loss of doctors by emigration," says Jaime Torres, head of the infectious diseases section of the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV).
In recent years, doctors from various hospitals have criticized the lack of supplies and vaccines, and the crisis has led to a shortage of medicines and food, which has implications for the country's nutrition.
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The Venezuelan opposition has called for the establishment of a humanitarian channel that would allow medicines and food to be provided to help citizens beaten by the country's severe economic crisis, but the authorities reject that possibility.
BBC Mundo contacted Health Minister Antonieta Caporale and the Ministry of Information for a comment, but at the moment there was no response. Neither was the director of the Hospital Materno Infantil Hugo Chávez in Caracas.
This is the analysis of the main data published by the Ministry.
Child mortality
According to official figures from the Ministry of Health, 11,466 children under one year of age died in Venezuela last year, which means an increase of 30.12% compared to what happened in 2015, when this figure reached 8,812.

In the 2013 mortality yearbook, the last published, there were 8,753 deaths of children under one year. A figure similar to that of 2015 and much lower than that of 2016.
Dr. Marino González, a member of the Academy of Medicine, a professor and expert on public health policies, claims the government's infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births), but considers that the increase is equally " worrying".
"The fact that they are increasing and recognizing it is already a great call to the attention of the health situation of children and pregnant women," says Dr. González, critical with government management.

According to him, the infant mortality rate has stagnated in Venezuela in recent years.
"In all countries it should be reduced. If it is not decreasing and these data say that the number of deaths has increased, it is worrisome."
Among the most frequent causes of infant deaths, authorities mention neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, hyaline membrane disease and premature birth.
"Additional risk"
In the case of maternal mortality, the document reveals an increase of 65.79% with a total of 756 deaths recorded in 2016, 300 more than in 2015.
It refers to women who died from complications in pregnancy, childbirth or after childbirth.
The rate, which would again be the most accurate indicator, is measured in maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
"These data show the lack of attention in which the women of the country are," says Dr. Torres, of the UCV.

These figures "highlight the quality of care of women in labor, the level of control of pregnancies, management of high-risk pregnancies and delivery," he says.
"If there are deficiencies, they will be reflected in the increase in maternal mortality," he adds.
Dr. Torres highlights another element: Venezuela is the second country in Latin America in teenage pregnancies. "That's an additional risk factor."
Diphtheria
The data contained in the Epidemiological Bulletin also confirm the reappearance of diphtheria with a total of 324 cases in 2016, a disease that had been eradicated in Venezuela 24 years ago.
The alarming recurrence of diphtheria in Venezuela, a disease that had been under control for 24 years
In 2015, according to the Ministry's bulletin, there were no cases.
Diphtheria is a disease as dangerous as easy to avoid and cure. It causes a bacteria that is found in the mouth, throat and nose and is transmitted by air through saliva, cough or a sneeze.
The symptoms are similar to those of an influenza or tonsillitis: breathing problems, sore throat. But if it progresses, it can damage the heart tissue, occlude the airways and cause death.

The mortality rate is 10% in adults and 20% in children, the most vulnerable.
If it appears it can be treated simply with penicillin, a medicine that is now scarce in Venezuelan hospitals.
The government did not issue an alert last year, despite counting cases reported by local media. In September 2016 the health authorities of the Bolivar state, the most affected, spoke of alarmism and "psychoterrorism". But at the same time they activated a vaccination campaign.
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"The cases are above what they reported to the Pan American Health Organization and now they reflect the reality that was handled unofficially," explains Dr. Torres.
"Lack of prevention in pathologies controllable with vaccination," he laments.
Malaria
In addition, statistics show a 76.4% increase in malaria cases, which increased from 136,402 in 2015 to 240,613 in 2016. In 2013 there were 75,000 cases.
Malaria is an infection that is transmitted by a mosquito typical of tropical areas, the anopheles, and causes diarrhea and vomiting.
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Venezuela practically eradicated the disease in the 60s and 70s with an internationally recognized program.

"There is a marked deterioration in vector control and diagnosis, and 80% of the territory is susceptible to infection." Without control, it can be spread, it has been under control for decades, but now we have more autochthonous cases, "says Torres.
Dr. González points out that Guyana and Venezuela are the countries that have regressed the most in malaria control, endemic in several areas of the country, such as Bolívar state, where the mining boom, which works with standing water, is an ideal terrain for the mosquito, has increased the cases.
"There is an epidemic of malaria that has already evolved five years, it should be controlled, the number of cases is completely unacceptable".

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