Venezuela

Venezuela is experiencing an unprecedented social and humanitarian crisis that has resulted in one of the biggest migration movements the world has seen before. The population that remained in Venezuela is the most vulnerable, often the very young and old, and has limited access to basic services.

There are several diseases that thrive in environments with poor sanitary conditions such as dengue fever, leishmaniasis and chagas disease, which has been endemic to most of the country and results in a high number of deaths.

Since October 2021, The MENTOR Initiative has been delivering a programme to control these vector-borne diseases through a network of health facilities in several states of Venezuela.

The MENTOR Initiative started its programme in Venezuela towards the end of 2021 and covers five states: Capital District, Mirada, Anzoategui, Nueva Esparta and Bolivar.

Main Activities

Training health professionals on vector-borne disease case management.
Support to five laboratories (one per state) to improve diagnostic capacity and the distribution of dengue RDTs (rapid diagnostic testing).
Improvements to water and sanitation to provide access to safe water in targeted communities and infrastructure.
Information, Education and Communication campaigns: house-to-house visits to deliver messages about dengue, chagas and leishmaniasis, hygiene promotion, and vector control (keeping the household free from mosquitoes).

Distribution of water tanks and lids for water containers.
Activities in schools to raise awareness of hygiene promotion and vector control including rehabilitation of handwashing services.
Community engagement to ensure regular cleaning of public spaces to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and other threats.

Highlights in 2023

Reached 264,608 people with Social Behaviour Change Communication activities to manage vector-borne diseases.
Community health workers carried out 196,171 consultations.
Hygiene promotion activities reached 14,809 people.
Distributed 21,705 water storage items (lids and containers).