Country
The fact that money allocations to the health care sector under Hugo Chávez's administration exceed by far those under any other Venezuelan government does not appear to have enhanced the sanitary services.

Cases of dengue and malaria in Venezuela reflect both that under the present administration there has been no progress in controlling such diseases and that they have increased dramatically.

According to the Epidemiological Bulletin Number 38, (20 and 26 September 2009) released by the Ministry of Health, the outbreak of dengue in Venezuela began eleven weeks ago. The bulletin reports 33,899 cases so far this year, 2.7 percent lower than during the same period in 2008, at 34,879.

The Ministry of Health's official document that leaked to the press shows that the number of cases has dropped. This decline, however, could be temporary due to the steady growth in the number of patients reported in the last 10 weeks. While 736 cases were reported between July 12 and July 18, 2009 (28th week), 1,827 cases were recorded between September 20 and September 26, 2009 (38th week).

The Venezuelan states with the highest number of cases are: Aragua (3,948), Lara (3,263), Barinas (3,011), Zulia (2,550) and Monagas (2,197).

Another striking fact is the number of deaths. Epidemiological reports in the regions show that during the year there have been seven dengue-related deaths: three in the state of Lara, three in Aragua and two in Carabobo. The Ministry of Health did not report any dengue-related death in 2008.

With regard to the dengue hemorrhagic fever, until September 26, 2009, the government had confirmed 2,731 cases representing 8.1 percent of the total patients. The ratio of incidence between dengue/dengue hemorrhagic fever was 18 to 1.

Malaria on the increase
The Epidemiological Bulletin of the Ministry of Health shows a 5.3 percent increase in the number of malaria cases in the 38th week of this year. In fact, until September 26, 2009, there were 24,082 malaria cases in Venezuela, 1,221 more cases compared to the same period in 2008.

Five Venezuelan states remain in alert or in outbreak status due to the increase in the number of cases. The states of Bolívar (19,784), Amazonas (2,859), Anzoátegui (839) are the states with the highest incidence of the disease.

Former Health Ministers Rafael Orihuela and José Félix Oletta have repeatedly voiced concern about the re-emergence of malaria cases in states that, due to their climate and geographical situation, should not record this pathology, for instance Nueva Esparta (3), Táchira (2), Guárico (7) and Apure (17).

According to the former health officials, the epidemiological silence has been instrumental in the resurgence or re-emergence of these diseases transmitted by vectors (insects).

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Vivian Castillo
EL UNIVERSAL