Mission Barrio Adentro, a social program to provide the Venezuelan population access to free and high-quality health care, is celebrating eight years in operation, during which over 438 million medical, ophthalmologic and dental consults have been carried out.
In those eight years, 302,171 lives have been saved and 7,382 babies delivered in the 6,712 facilities used for the social program. Additionally, a network of popular opticians – 459 throughout the country – have provided 30 million consults, according to the Ministry of Health.
Thousands of Cuban doctors arrived in Venezuela in April 2003 as part of the Cuba-Venezuela binational agreement to provide medical care in isolated areas and assist the needs of the Venezuelan people.
Mission Barrio Adentro was created in 2003, which was progressively expanded throughout Venezuela and has incorporated more Venezuelan doctors and technicians.
This social program is divided in four phases. Phase one offers primary and preventive care to the Venezuelan population in traditionally excluded areas. Barrio Adentro II offers higher-level health care services to a higher level through the innovative Centers of Integral Diagnosis (CDIs), Integral Rehabilitation Rooms (SRIs) and the High Technology Centers (CATs). Since June 2005, 533 CDIs, 570 SRIs and 31 CATs have been installed, as well as several medical centers and traditional hospitals.
Over 59 million cases have been seen in the emergency rooms of the different CDIs, while 411,455 patients have been assisted in the intensive care units. Additionally, 927,751 surgeries have been performed.
Venezuelans have also the possibility of undergoing electrocardiograms, endoscopies, laboratory tests, ultrasounds and x-rays free of charge.
Additionally, a number of Integral Rehabilitation Rooms have been equipped to improve the life conditions of over 11,000 Venezuelans with disabilities.
Mission Barrio Adentro III was created in 2006 to modernize the country’s hospital network. Unlike phase one and two, it uses the traditional hospital network as a fundamental element to strengthen the National Public Healthcare System.
Barrio Adentro IV is aimed at building medical centers in areas of special attention. One of the main examples of the fourth phase is the Children’s Cardiology Hospital, a high-tech medical center inaugurated by President Chávez on August 20, 2006.
Initially, 15 new highly-specialized hospitals are expected to be opened throughout the countrym including a cardiology center for adults.
AVN / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / April 18, 2011
