The UCAB will open a health center in Guayana

The Andrés Bello Catholic University has been internationally recognized in 2024, year of its 71st anniversary, for his lines of research in education, political, social and economic sciences; this according to the most recent AD Scientific Index.

However, the institution’s concern for health issues has been a central part of his work since 1999, when he founded the Santa Inés Health Center (CSSI UCAB), unit attached to the Social Extension Directorate that offers medical care to the popular sectors of western Caracas in more than 40 specialties.

TO 25 year goal of CSSI, the university dedicated to «Comprehensive health, timely care and disease prevention» the debate program of the VII Research Conference, which took place between October 30 and 31 on the Montalbán and Guayana campuses.

To do this, researchers from the centers and institutes attached to the Research and Transfer Secretariat -together with guests from other universities- formed an agenda that addressed the topic from different perspectives. In total, they arranged 20 thematic tables and 49 papers were presented.

The opening day It took place in the Padre Gustavo Sucre, SJ auditorium, and had as its guest speakers to the doctors Huniades Urbinapresident of the National Academy of Medicine; Marino GonzalezPh.D in Public Policy and researcher at the University of La Rioja (Spain), and Julio Castroinfectologist, attached to the Institute of Tropical Medicine and specialist in data management. Each one dedicated an hour to the topics addressed.

Among the harshest details about the national situation that the experts’ presentations concluded are that the 71% of health expenses come out of the pocket of Venezuelans (dated from Encovi), that heLife expectancy fell by 8 years and he dropped to 72 years old; that there is no information since 2016 on the causes of death of the Venezuelans, that the Early pregnancy is affecting girls as young as 11 years old, that the Immunization Law “is a dead letter” and that, Despite what they experienced during the pandemic, in Venezuela people are vaccinated less than before that experience.

The specialists agreed that the Economic inequality among the Venezuelan population and geographical and mobilization difficulties aggravate the situation..

The healthcare arm of the UCAB will expand to Guayana

He academic vice-rector, José Francisco Juárez, who installed the event on behalf of the rector Arturo Peraza, SJ, confirmed the decision of the UCAB to replicate the CSSI experience in Guyana.

«The UCAB Guayana Health Center will be put into operationa sign of the growth and maturity of our institution. “This may be one of the most ambitious proposals in recent years,” said Juárez.

He emphasized “the quality and commitment to contribute to the transformation of the country” that the Andrés Bello Catholic University has demonstrated since its foundation and that is exhibited daily in the Social Park and the activities of the university Social Extension.

The vice-rector said that, for the UCAB, These joint conferences are important because they strengthen inter- and transdisciplinary research.which are “the most efficient work mechanisms to address reality, contribute to knowledge and solve social problems.”

He further stated that The university “wants to be part of the solution” in terms of education and healthareas in which public policies are required to confront the crisis in which both remain. «Our commitment to the country is to educate to transform, having health as one of the emblematic areas in the field of social extension«.

«This event has great strategic importance for what we want to project in the coming years. I hope that soon we will begin to see the results of this synergy between research centers and institutes and the CSSI,” explained the academic vice-rector about possible lines and shared research projects that contribute to the management of public health policies.

In Venezuela, less is vaccinated than in Haiti

Pediatrician Scarlet Salazar, director of the CSSIserved as moderator of the inaugural session of the VII Research Conference, and He expressed pride that the Santa Inés Health Center “carries the UCAB surname.”

The first to intervene, also a pediatrician Huníades Urbina, congratulated the UCAB and considered it very good news that the experience of the Santa Inés Health Center is replicated in eastern Venezuela.

In his exhibition addressed the national panorama regarding vaccination, which especially impacts infants and infants. He shared the recommendations that the National Academy of Medicine has publicly presented to the country and to the authorities of the Ministry of Health. He insisted that complex humanitarian emergency conditions persist in Venezuelawhich means that the poblation suffers the same consequences as in a country at warbut without having had it.

Urbina affirmed that in the 2023 review at the UN on the Sustainable Development Goals, the country “came out scraped.” He questioned the very meager budget contribution that the government systematically allocates to health care. and assured that “At the rate we are going, we will never reach 6% of GDP investment”, minimum recommended figure. In 2016, according to official figures, the allocation to the sector was just 0.8%, he added.

Urbina assured that Vaccine coverage is the lowest in all of Latin America, even less than in Haiti, where “the HPV vaccine is given to boys and girls, and here we don’t give it to anyone.”

The expert insisted on the official opacity to provide data and that the most up-to-date that doctors obtain It arrives indirectly, through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO or through informal channels.

He explained that the ideal immunization rate so that the child population of any country is covered must reach 95%but that Venezuela, according to the data it manages, is among a list of 10 countries (including Guinea, Congo and Indonesia) that apply “zero doses” of vaccines to infants.

In addition to the classic schedule of 15 childhood vaccines, he said that due to health conditions, six additional vaccines should be applied in Venezuela. one of them being hepatitis A due to the poor quality of the water.

He urgedextend vaccination against polio, since “with the gothic” only 50% of the population is coveredas well as vaccinating against tuberculosis and diphtheria, a disease that was not seen in the country, but reappeared in Bolívar.

CSSI UCAB, screening and control center

Marino González, expert in the design of public policiesgave a detailed presentation on how the cancer research in Europe and that the work in which he participates, for the University of La Riojaaims to create diagnostic innovations and to modify public policies to screen for this disease. It is a plan that involves 15 countries, two ministries, 10 research centers, among other organizations, he indicated.

González highlighted that in Venezuela has no official information since 2016 on the causes of death. For that date, the two main causes were cardiovascular and cancer.

He considered it very important work of the Santa Inés Health Centersince the population served there can be used to make a complete control of vaccination coverage, screening and treatment of hypertension, diabetes and cancer and that they have comprehensive monitoring to, thus, impact an important part of the population in the popular sectors of western Caracas.

He urged to include this possibility in the work of the UCAB, in undergraduate and graduate degrees.since each person who has undergone cancer screening represents an opportunity to achieve success in its control.

At a global level, Marino González said, the data indicates that by 2022 “the Colorectal cancer was the second cause of death in the world for both sexes. European research therefore seeks to create up to 11 alternatives for screening for the disease, including 4 diagnostic tests that feed health platforms for decision-making. The effectiveness of the new tests is expected to be seen in 2026 and, from there, the protocols and policy design will be reviewed.

Closing the information gap to prevent diseases

Finally, infectious disease specialist Julio Castro shared learnings after the Covid-19 pandemicduring which he had a relevant role in the organization of national specialist groups.

He was concerned because “today people are vaccinated less than before the pandemic.” and attributes this to the fact that Doctors have not been able to close the information and communication gap. Hence, he requested the collaboration of specialists in these areas to create more efficient communication codes that they are understood in their true importance by all social sectors.

Castro also invited specialists in the world of work to help understand what is known as long Covidconsequences of the pandemic that have serious cognitive effects, thrombosis and diabetes. “This must be understood, what to do with a worker like that?”

About the tuberculosiswarned that this disease it gets stronger and stronger and efficient and that attacks more the elderly population that is immunosuppressed. He warned about therise of emerging respiratory transmitted diseases (“all influenzas”) as well as vector-borne diseases: malaria, dengue and zika.

He stressed that in Venezuela “the battle against Aedes aegypti” continues to be lost, the mosquito that transmits yellow fever, an illness that is acquiring pandemic potential, he said.

In the case of Puerto Ordaz (Bolívar), he stated that the conditions are in place for the population to be in danger from these diseases.: “There is a vector (mosquito), there are people and there is poverty, that would be a tragedy,” lamented Julio Castro.

The UCV professor specified that Malaria, directly linked to gold exploitation areas, is an anthropological and sociological problem that requires special attention. Venezuela has “the worst performance in the world” in controlling this disease, he stated.

Finally, regarding sexually transmitted diseases, CAstro said that syphilis infections are increasing, both among the population that also lives with HIV and those who do not.

The programming two days of the VII UCAB Research Conference included the presentation of works and exhibitions on topics related to occupational health, digital transformation in medicine, artificial intelligence and its medical applications, mental health, prevention and care of diseases in adolescents, and community health services in the context of the humanitarian emergency, among others.

The teacher Jose Luis Da Silvadirector of the Research Secretariat, thanked the participating speakers and highlighted the importance of the event that occupied Ucabist academics and other institutions.