Cross-border COVID-19 spread amidst malaria re-emergence in Venezuela: a human rights analysis
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(2020) 16:118
REVIEW
Open Access
Cross-border COVID-19 spread amidst malaria re-emergence in Venezuela: a human rights analysis Catalina Correa-Salazar*
and Joseph J. Amon
Abstract Background: Since 2016 Venezuela has seen a collapse in its economy and public health infrastructure resulting in a humanitarian crisis and massive outward migration. With the emergence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 at the end of 2019, the public health emergency within its borders and in neighboring countries has become more severe and as increasing numbers of Venezuelans migrants return home or get stuck along migratory routes, new risks are emerging in the region. Results: Despite clear state obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the rights to health and related economic, social, civil and political rights of its population, in Venezuela, co-occurring malaria and COVID-19 epidemics are propelled by a lack of public investment in health, weak governance, and violations of human rights, especially for certain underserved populations like indigenous groups. COVID-19 has put increased pressure on Venezuelan and regional actors and healthcare systems, as well as international public health agencies, to deal with a domestic and regional public health emergency. Conclusions: International aid and cooperation for Venezuela to deal with the re-emergence of malaria and the COVID-19 spread, including lifting US-enforced economic sanctions that limit Venezuela’s capacity to deal with this crisis, is critical to protecting rights and health in the country and region. Keywords: Malaria, COVID-19, Re-emergence, Epidemic, Human rights, Violations, Venezuela
Background There is a growing recognition that the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has unleashed a regional public health threat and a governance problem for Latin America [1]. Challenges related to the deteriorating Venezuelan public health system include the lack of: i) public health investment; ii) adequate health systems and disease control programs; iii) centralized epidemiologic information; and iv) protection of basic human rights for populations. Over the past few years, Venezuela has seen the unraveling of its * Correspondence: [email protected] Department of Community Health and Prevention, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, 3215 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
government and health infrastructure. The censorship of epidemiologic surveillance data and persecution of health professionals, added to the scarcity of investment, has produced a dire situation for the population. Economic sanctions imposed by the United States and other nations have further restricted and undermined the health sectors capacity. In a context of intensifying governance and public health crisis and emergency, the re-emergence of once eliminated diseases like malaria and the massive outward migration of Venezuelans to neighboring countries has created major health systems challenges for the containment of cross-border disease spread, including the novel coronavirus, SARS-C
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