The AECID's START field hospital returns, having treated more than 7,200 people in Venezuela in the space of a month

The Spanish Technical Emergency Aid and Response Team (START) has been deployed for a month, with two consecutive rotations of volunteer staff, to assist the population affected by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela at the end of June. Having treated more than 7,200 people, the minister has praised the excellent work carried out by the staff at the AECID field hospital, who "are conveying the solidarity of the Spanish people to the brotherly people of Venezuela".

Spanish response in Venezuela

The Spanish response has mobilised 90 volunteer professionals across the mission as a whole, including healthcare, logistics and technical staff from various regional governments, who have worked in coordination with the Venezuelan authorities, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Between 4 and 20 July, the field hospital remained operational in Caracas' Parque del Este and treated 3,463 patients, carrying out 4,290 medical consultations across various specialities, including general practice, paediatrics, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, minor surgery and mental health, one of the most pressing needs in the wake of the emergency. Furthermore, the high number of people attending meant that a preliminary triage point had to be set up, where a further 2,962 people were assessed and referred, bringing the total number of people attended to during the operation to 7,252.

In total, the hospital treated people aged between 3 days and 99 years, of whom 62% were women and 38% were men, including 595 people aged over 65, 116 children under the age of 4 and 109 pregnant women. The team also identified and provided assistance to 315 particularly vulnerable people, including children, displaced people and families who had lost their homes. Two in five patients sought treatment for problems directly or indirectly related to the effects of the earthquakes.

Multidisciplinary team

Of the 90 professionals who made up the mission, 56 were healthcare workers, 24 were specialists in logistics, catering and infrastructure management, and 10 were coordination staff from the AECID and TRAGSA. Among them were A&E doctors, paediatricians, surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology, nursing staff, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, hospital pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory and radiology technicians, as well as specialists in preventive medicine and public health. They are all part of the AECID's team of professionals, which is capable of being deployed within 72 hours when an applicant country requests international assistance. To make this possible, agreements and partnerships have been signed with the Ministry of Health, the Madrid City Council Fire Service, the NGO CESAL and Médicos del Mundo, amongst others.

The mission saw a high proportion of female participants: 48 women and 42 men, with women accounting for almost seven out of every ten healthcare professionals deployed. The teams came from various autonomous communities, with professionals from Andalusia, Aragon, the Valencian Community, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, the Community of Madrid, the Chartered Community of Navarre and the Basque Country.

Donations following the closure of the mission

As part of the conclusion of the operation, the AECID has donated medicines and medical supplies worth 50,000 euros to the Venezuelan Ministry of Health, in line with the priorities set by the Pan American Health Organization.

Furthermore, the AECID has provided building materials worth 302,500 euros for the construction and refurbishment of temporary shelters for families who lost their homes as a result of the earthquakes. The donation, made through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, includes waterproof tarpaulins, zinc sheets, timber and tools for repairing roofs, and will help to improve the living conditions of thousands of affected people.

Non official translation