# Venezuela healthcare system crisis

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/venezuela-healthcare-system-crisis
> Updated: 2026-09-09T21:46:39.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 5.

Venezuela’s public health system continues to face a critical emergency driven by deteriorating infrastructure, medical supply shortages, and a severe lack of personnel. Dr. Pedro Fernández of Médicos Unidos de Venezuela (MUV) has noted that the disappearance of primary and preventive care services forces patients to seek medical attention only when illnesses reach life-threatening stages. This is compounded by a massive exodus of more than 21,000 doctors.

Operational instability persists regarding healthcare worker compensation. In Anzoátegui, the Sintrasalud union reported widespread dissatisfaction with delayed and irregular payments. Union leader José Igualguana highlighted that maintenance issues with the Patria and Onapre systems have prevented elderly and rural workers from accessing wages, food vouchers, and bonuses, while cash withdrawal limits at the Banco Digital de los Trabajadores have caused further difficulties.

Infrastructure decay is increasingly evident in regional facilities. The Doctor Rafael Calles Sierra Hospital in the Paraguaná Peninsula continues to suffer from a lack of air conditioning, non-functional bathrooms, water shortages, and a lack of ambulances. Patients there have reported being required to provide their own medical supplies and anesthetics for procedures such as C-sections; furthermore, a citizen documenting these conditions on social media reported receiving threats of detention.

In El Tigre, patients at the Care Dialysis Unit, which is dependent on the Instituto Venezolano de los Seguros Sociales (IVSS), face severe conditions due to frequent power outages. Because the facility's air conditioning is not connected to the backup generator, patients must undergo treatment in stifling heat, often relying on family members to fan them with cardboard. Local user committee president Luis Maza has called for the unit to be excluded from electricity rationing plans.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-09: Healthcare facilities face diverse challenges in Costa Rica and Venezuela

Hospital San Carlos in Costa Rica opened a new therapeutic green space for mental health patients, while dialysis patients in El Tigre, Venezuela, struggle with extreme heat during power outages.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/healthcare-facilities-face-diverse-challenges-in-costa-rica-and-venezuela

### 2026-09-07: Healthcare facilities in Venezuela and Peru face critical supply and infrastructure shortages

Healthcare facilities in Venezuela and Peru face critical shortages, including medical supplies, functional bathrooms, and working air conditioning, according to recent reports and inspections.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/healthcare-facilities-in-venezuela-and-peru-face-critical-supply-and-infrastructure-shortages

### 2026-08-24: Healthcare crises reported in Cuba and Venezuela hospitals

Healthcare facilities in Cuba and Venezuela face critical issues, including unsanitary conditions in Santa Clara and the suspension of essential radiotherapy services in Cumaná due to equipment failure.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/healthcare-crises-reported-in-cuba-and-venezuela-hospitals

### 2026-08-17: Healthcare systems face payment delays and diagnostic crises in Venezuela and Costa Rica

Healthcare crises emerge in Venezuela and Costa Rica, marked by payment delays for workers in Anzoátegui and extreme wait times for MRI diagnostics in Costa Rica.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/healthcare-systems-face-payment-delays-and-diagnostic-crises-in-venezuela-and-costa-rica

### 2026-08-17: Venezuela healthcare system faces critical emergency

Venezuela's healthcare system faces a crisis due to crumbling infrastructure, severe shortages of medical supplies, and the loss of over 21,000 doctors, leading to the collapse of preventive care.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuela-healthcare-system-faces-critical-emergency

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Cite as: Venezuela healthcare system crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/venezuela-healthcare-system-crisis