U.S. Economic Sanctions Harm Public Health: A Closer Look

U.S. Economic Sanctions Harm Public Health: A Closer Look

Revamped Perspective:

Let's dive into the brutal reality of health care in Venezuela. No sugarcoating here, just the cold hard truth. The US economic blockade, particularly during the Trump era, wreaked havoc on Venezuela's medical sector, particularly when it came to healthcare for those with chronic conditions and people suffering from rare diseases.

According to a 2019 analysis by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), an astonishing 300,000 people with chronic diseases were at risk due to difficulties in obtaining crucial medicines for conditions like HIV, hypertension, and diabetes. And things only got worse with the most severe sanctions yet to come.

It was nothing short of heartbreaking for those afflicted with rare diseases that required specialized treatments. The closure of the CITGO program, which aided Venezuelan children battling leukemia and other severe conditions, only added to the pain. This program ceased to exist once CITGO fell into the hands of the opposition.

Sanctions can feel like an abstract concept, but their impact is tangible, affecting everyday lives, especially for an elderly person in a Venezuelan suburban neighborhood.

Dishonest politicians and journalists often claim that "sanctions only affect the powerful." However, in my conversations with health officials, I've discovered some very tangible examples.

Currently, authorities are voicing their concerns to the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO) about the inability to purchase medicines and nutritional supplements for infants with inborn metabolism errors (IME), a genetic condition that affects the behavior of cells, organs, and systems. The medications are exclusively produced in Denmark, and suppliers are unwilling to trade with Venezuela.

Similarly, Venezuela has acknowledged that it cannot run its 19 linear accelerators, which are utilized for cancer patients' radiotherapy, manufactured by companies like Siemens, Electra, and others. As the countries where these multinational corporations are headquartered maintain sanctions against Venezuela, they no longer sell equipment to Venezuelan institutions, and they also refuse to supply spare parts or technical assistance. This puts more than 90% of radiotherapy patients in jeopardy.

Multilateral organizations such as PAHO try to intervene by opening bids as an attempt to provide more "security" for international partners. However, these attempts are unsuccessful due to the fear of violating US sanctions and the potential consequences, including prison sentences of up to 20 years or fines that corporations are unwilling to risk.

Unilateral coercive measures have become an oppressive and cruel reality in our lives. Some people seem to find a sense of comfort in merely criticizing them before an international community that will not take action.

I prefer to focus on the efforts to fight against the blockade on multiple fronts rather than dwelling on the pain inflicted. There are several inspiring cases in medical research in Venezuela.

Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of conversing with obstetrician and perinatologist Carlos Bermudez, who has pioneered a novel technique to perform less invasive surgery to correct spina bifida and myelomeningocele in fetuses. This procedure dramatically decreases the risk of premature birth associated with fetal surgery and ensures a better quality of life for children with this condition. The surgery has been implemented in various public hospitals since the end of 2022.

These Venezuelan physicians are also leaders in percutaneous sclerotherapy for neonatal pulmonary pathologies. Until recently, developed countries employed open surgeries with significant risks and poor results. In contrast, Venezuela developed an outpatient technique with a cost of only $1 to $2, the equivalent of a polidocanol vial and an injector. Today, this method is widely used globally.

Regenerative medicine is another field displaying promising results. Researchers using stem cells in Venezuela have demonstrated advances in bone regeneration in children with congenital diseases. Additionally, new treatments have emerged for dermatological and ophthalmological issues.

Beyond the efforts of our doctors and researchers, Venezuela has received assistance from allied nations. An alliance with Russia has provided free treatment for thousands of diabetic patients. Furthermore, the government has announced the imminent opening of an insulin factory built with Russian technology.

Cancer patients have benefited from joint work with Iran, another country that is well-acquainted with the tumultuous reality of coercive measures. Their collaborative efforts include training specialized personnel since most of the equipment will be new to Venezuelan healthcare workers.

As I reflect on this column, a whirlwind of emotions emerges. It is shocking to see US-backed candidates promising to restore us to "a reliable partner" to the very people inflicting pain on us today, one patient at a time.

Pessimism is understandable, but the love for Venezuela and the desire to fight back are very much alive. And so, the battle for survival carries on!

Jessica Dos Santos is a Venezuelan university professor, journalist, and author whose work has been featured in outlets such as RT, Épale CCS magazine, and Investig'Action. She is the creator of the book "Caracas en Alpargatas" (2018). She has won the Aníbal Nazoa Journalism Prize in 2014 and received honorable mentions in the Simón Bolívar National Journalism prize in 2016 and 2018.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Translated by Venezuelanalysis.

1. The US economic blockade, particularly during the Trump era, wreaked havoc on Venezuela's medical sector, especially for those with chronic conditions and people suffering from rare diseases.
2. Sanctions are abstract concepts, but their impact is tangible, affecting everyday lives, even for an elderly person in a Venezuelan suburban neighborhood.
3. In 2019, an analysis by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) revealed that 300,000 people with chronic diseases were at risk due to difficulties in obtaining crucial medicines.
4. The closure of the CITGO program, which aided Venezuelan children battling leukemia and other severe conditions, added to the pain of those with rare diseases that required specialized treatments.
5. Current concerns voiced to the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO) involve the inability to purchase medicines and nutritional supplements for infants with inborn metabolism errors (IME).
6. The medications for IME are exclusively produced in Denmark, and suppliers are unwilling to trade with Venezuela.
7. Venezuela cannot run its 19 linear accelerators for cancer patients' radiotherapy due to sanctions against the countries where the multinational corporations headquartered are located.
8. More than 90% of radiotherapy patients are in jeopardy as the countries maintain sanctions, and they also refuse to supply spare parts or technical assistance.
9. Multilateral organizations like PAHO try to intervene by opening bids, but these attempts are unsuccessful due to the fear of violating US sanctions.
10. There are inspiring cases in medical research in Venezuela, such asobstetrician and perinatologist Carlos Bermudez's development of a less invasive surgery to correct spina bifida and myelomeningocele in fetuses.
11. Researchers in Venezuela have demonstrated advances in bone regeneration in children with congenital diseases using stem cells.
12. New treatments have emerged for dermatological and ophthalmological issues in Venezuela.
13. Venezuela has received assistance from allied nations, with an alliance with Russia providing free treatment for thousands of diabetic patients and the government announcing the imminent opening of an insulin factory built with Russian technology.
14. Cancer patients have also benefited from joint work with Iran, with collaborative efforts including training specialized personnel.
15. The love for Venezuela and the desire to fight back are very much alive, and the battle for survival carries on.
16. Jessica Dos Santos is a Venezuelan university professor, journalist, and author who has won awards and has published a book on Caracas. The views expressed in this article are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

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