Number Of Working Dialysis Machines in Venezuela Plummet As Healthcare System Falls Apart

In Venezuela, in the state of Lara, around 300 existing dialysis machines for renal patients in all their units, between 25 and 30% of them, that is, between 75 and 80, approximately remain inoperative, due to different reasons , but, in most cases, it is because some parts have been damaged, and the parts are not available, because they are imported, ”said Héctor Daniel Colmenárez, coordinator of the Foundation of Friends of the Renal Patient of Lara State ( Fundaprel).
Currently, the government strictly regulates the importation of health supplies, with most orders being denied, and even knowing that hundreds of people depend on them to improve their quality of life and prevent future complications.

Colmenárez explained that “we held our first working meeting in this city, where various aspects related to the different problems we experienced by renal patients in Lara state came to light.” He explained that, there, it was concluded that “the biggest problem we are facing right now is that, since last year, many of the renal patients of Lara state are, or are, receiving our dialysis rations minimized” .

-And why? Well, simply because, as said before, an estimated 25-30% of dialysis machines in this federal entity are inoperative, most of them due to lack of spare parts.

And then, what is happening? … Well then it happens that, in order to be able to dialyze all the renal patients of this federal entity, which are approximately 1,350, then simply, in the dialysis units, they are forced to reduce duration of each serving, which usually has to be four hours each, just two hours or two and a half hours. This, of course, is seriously affecting the health conditions of many kidney patients in Lara state.

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