The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says it has activated its emergency response mechanisms to support the health response in Venezuela following two consecutive earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude that struck the country last week.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these devastating earthquakes,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa. “PAHO stands ready to support the country’s health response during this difficult time.”
PAHO said its teams on the ground are working with national authorities to rapidly assess priority health needs and coordinate actions aimed at saving lives, restoring essential health services, and preventing further health impacts.
Rapid response teams are on standby in neighboring countries, while PAHO’s Regional Strategic Reserve for Emergencies and Disasters, located in Panama, is expediting the deployment of essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment as needed.
The health organization said is working with the Ministry of Health in Venezuela to enhance health sector coordination, facilitating joint assessments, mapping operational capacities, and engaging with regional partners to mobilize technical assistance and humanitarian supplies.
“Efforts are focused on ensuring continued access to essential health services and addressing the most urgent health needs in affected communities,” PAHO said.
Through its role coordinating the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Initiative in the Americas, PAHO said it has also identified 21 international Emergency Medical Teams that could support the emergency.
These teams comprise trained health professionals and self-sufficient medical units with extensive experience responding to earthquake emergencies, PAHO said.
Three teams—from Colombia, the United States, and the Dominican Republic—are on standby for rapid deployment, if needed.
From its Emergency Operations Center in Washington, PAHO said it is supporting rapid assessments of health facility functionality and damage while helping identify urgent requirements, including medicines, medical supplies, oxygen, fuel, and other critical resources.
According to PAHO, specialists in emergency coordination, hospital safety, logistics, trauma care, and mass casualty management are ready for deployment.
Initial estimates indicate that 91 emergency hospitals are located in areas of Modified Mercalli earthquake intensity VI or higher, including 20 hospitals in areas of intensity VII or above.
“While the exposure does not represent confirmed damage, they help prioritize facilities requiring urgent verification of structural safety, continuity of essential services, trauma care capacity, oxygen availability, water and electricity supply, fuel, and referral pathways,” PAHO said.
“In a crisis of this scale, time is of the essence”, said Dr. Ciro Ugarte, PAHO’s director of Health Emergencies. “Rapid damage and needs assessments, strong coordination, and timely information-sharing and response are essential to ensure that health assistance reaches the people who need it most and is aligned with national priorities.”
PAHO says it will continue working closely with national authorities, United Nations agencies, and humanitarian partners to ensure that the health support reaches the people in need guided by humanitarian principles.
The organisation says additional financial resources are urgently needed to provide life-saving health interventions, restore damaged health services, and address the immediate needs of affected communities, including shelter and food for displaced families. (CMC)