Brazil sends 100 tons of inputs to Venezuela after US attack

The federal government announced the emergency shipment of 100 tons of medicines and health supplies to Venezuela, following the United States military attack last Saturday (3), which destroyed the largest medicine distribution center in the neighboring country. The first shipment, with 40 tons, will go to Venezuela this Friday (9) and its priority is to guarantee the continuity of treatment for around 16 thousand patients who depend on hemodialysis, threatened by the interruption of care.

The action, coordinated by the Ministry of Health, is presented by the Brazilian government as a concrete gesture of international solidarity, in contrast to the escalation of war that is deepening the humanitarian crisis in the neighboring country.

Active solidarity in the face of the imperialist offensive

According to the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, humanitarian aid does not compromise the care of the Brazilian population and reaffirms Brazil’s historic commitment to cooperation between Latin American peoples.

“This donation does not affect the structure and assistance of the approximately 170 thousand patients currently undergoing dialysis in the Unified Health System. We have safe stocks in Brazil and can be in solidarity with the neighboring country. We cannot forget that, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Venezuela provided us with 130 thousand cubic meters of oxygen for the treatment of our citizens, in the face of a crisis due to poor management by the past government”, stated the minister.

Essential supplies to save lives

The supplies sent were gathered from donations from university hospitals and philanthropic institutions across the country and are part of a strategic set of materials considered essential. Among the items are medications for continuous use, filters, arterial and venous lines, catheters and solutions used in hemodialysis treatment.

The 100 tons of donations will be stored at the Ministry of Health’s Input and Medicine Distribution Center, in Guarulhos (SP). The first shipment will be transported by a Venezuelan plane, and new shipments are expected over the next week, according to the emergency schedule.

Political support and presence on the border

In addition to material aid, Alexandre Padilha sent a letter to the Venezuelan Minister of Health, Magaly Gutiérrez, reaffirming the Brazilian government’s support for guaranteeing health care, especially for dialysis patients affected by the destruction of the logistics center.

Brazil also maintains direct operations in the border region. Health professionals continue to be mobilized in Operação Acolhida, in Pacaraima (RR), offering medical, psychological and social care to the Venezuelan population. A contingency plan is underway to reinforce health care and public safety in the face of the worsening crisis.

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with information from the Ministry of Health