Venezuela crisis threatens disease epidemic across continent - experts

[rangerrebew]

 
Venezuela crisis threatens disease epidemic across continent - experts

Collapse of Venezuela’s healthcare system could fuel spread of malaria and other diseases across region
 

Sarah Boseley Health editor and Emma Graham-Harrison in Tumeremo

Thu 21 Feb 2019 18.30 EST
Last modified on Fri 22 Feb 2019 09.26 EST

 

Experts have warned of an epidemic of diseases such as malaria and dengue on an unprecedented scale in Latin America following the collapse of the healthcare system in Venezuela.

Continent-wide public health gains of the last 18 years could be undone if Venezuela does not accept help to control the spreading outbreaks of malaria, Zika, dengue and other illnesses that are afflicting its people, experts have warned in a report published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Venezuela was once a regional leader in malaria control, but as healthcare has collapsed there has been a mass departure of trained medics, the report says, creating a public emergency “of hemispheric concern”.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/feb/21/venezuela-crisis-threatens-disease-epidemic-across-continent-experts

[TomSea]

I do think this is what is seen as the main problem, the refugees and the possibility of many more refugees coming out of there.

The region is poor enough already, without having millions of people pouring into similarly economically stressed nations.

[rangerrebew]

I doubt Bill and Melinda are as concerned about the people as they are investments in Venezuela they can't profit from.

[TomSea]

I doubt Bill and Melinda are as concerned about the people as they are investments in Venezuela they can't profit from.

One article said the refugee problem actually works very adversely with progress we've made on the war on drugs in Colombia. So, that's one for the experts but it makes some sense.