Deficit of public clinical laboratories exceeds 85 % in Nueva Esparta in eastern Venezuela

Deficit of public clinical laboratories exceeds 85 % in Nueva Esparta in eastern Venezuela

The union of bioanalysts does not have positive expectations for the year to come, because within the Ministry of Health and the Venezuelan Social Security Institute they are not willing to talk about this until 2023 is over.

Dexcy Guédez // Correspondent lapatilla.com

Carmen Figueroa, President of the College of Bioanalysts of the Nueva Esparta State, assured that the unions involved in healthcare in the country have not even been called to even begin to discuss a project that was proposed to improve hospitals and outpatient clinics in 2024.

“None of that is talked about, and that is why I believe that we are lacking in everything, especially human rights, the right to life, fundamental rights,” she pointed out.

In addition, she regretted that there is no expectation that public laboratories in Nueva Esparta will be improved during 2024.

She estimated that their deficit at the end of this year is 85% and not even the most basic tests are carried out.

“We ended the year without good omens, because we don’t have any, since at the level of public laboratories in the state of Nueva Esparta we have a deficit, equal to the national one, of more than 85%,” she said.

She specified that there is no emergency laboratory service in the entity, nor the most basic tests so that a patient can undergo surgery.

“In none of the public institutions, not even the IVSS, nor those that depend on the Ministry of Health, nor IPASME, and much less those called Barrio Adentro, none of these have emergency laboratory services,” she insisted.

Figueroa believes that Nueva Esparta, due to the island’s status as a preferred destination, should receive better attention, since in this area there is talk of sustainable tourism.

“Healthcare in Nueva Esparta is at rock bottom and the only Central Hospital (Main Hospital) we have is not even in intensive care, I think it is almost dead. If an injured person arrives at any care center and there is not even a simple hematology test or clotting time test that can be done so that this patient can receive the most immediate care, which is first aid or emergency surgery,” she emphasized.

Likewise, Figueroa confirmed that in the entire state there are only four or five private laboratories still able to perform special tests, due to the high costs of reagents. Therefore, putting this type of analysis out of reach for most people.

She said that many laboratories stopped performing this service because they cannot afford the costs and the transportation of biological samples makes it more expensive.

“Here the laboratories that are left doing minimal special tests are almost at their limit, because the reagents are too expensive,” insisted the representative of the bioanalysts union.