Venezuela public hospitals perform 440,000 surgeries in eight months

Venezuela's public hospital network performed 440,000 surgical procedures between January and August of this year, according to Isabel Iturria, the sectoral Vice President for Science, Technology, Ecosocialism, and Health.

Iturria reported an average of 55,000 monthly operations, stating that the volume of state-run surgeries exceeds the capacity of the private sector. While acknowledging specific weaknesses within the public health system, she emphasized that recent operational strengths and advancements in medical equipment acquisition have outweighed these challenges, despite the impact of international financial sanctions.

Additionally, the official highlighted the long-term impact of the Dr. Gilberto Rodríguez Ochoa Latin American Pediatric Cardiology Hospital. Over its 20 years of operation, the specialized institution has performed more than 15,000 surgeries on children and young people with congenital heart disease.