Health Minister says Venezuela will run out of vaccines in four months if US sanctions are upheld



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Thursday, May 23, 2019

Venezuelan Minister of Health Carlos Alvarado

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GENEVA, May 23
(Xinhua / GNA) – Venezuela will be running out of vaccines by four months if it is aware
US-led blockade continues, said country's health minister
Wednesday.

During the
World Health Assembly in Geneva, Carlos Alvarado, Minister of Health of Venezuela
example, rotavirus vaccines, claiming that they could be exhausted in four
months if the United States insist on its blockade.

He said that since
the United States started to impose sanctions against Venezuela in 2014, half
pharmaceutical companies operating in the country have left.

In addition to the United States
Alvarado also said that Venezuela currently has nearly 5 billion
euros (approximately US $ 5.6 billion) of foreign badets frozen in
Overseas banks, of which about 600 million for the purchase of food, medicines
and surgical equipment.

If the country had
access to these funds he would be able to pay for all the drugs
Venezuela needs six years, said Alvarado.

The lack of drugs
and vaccines have already caused the reappearance of certain diseases, such as measles,
and the decrease in immunization coverage in the country in 2016 and 2017, he has
added.

Face the
Venezuela is working with the Pan American Health Organization to
buy all the vaccines, said Alvarado.

GNA

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