Medical experts fear the aftermath of Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes could trigger a widening health crisis marked by untreated injuries, infectious diseases, and a healthcare system already on the brink of collapse. The June 24 quakes killed at least 2,295 people and injured more than 11,000, officials said.

Thousands of displaced Venezuelans are sleeping in crowded temporary shelters or outside without access to clean water amid dismal sanitary conditions. "The issue we foresee just around the corner is the infections that patients who have been exposed to the disaster for the longest time might bring," said Eugenio Cova, head of the trauma unit at Hospital Jose Gregorio Hernandez in Caracas. "We've already gone through a period of complex trauma – which will continue to occur – but now, it's complicated by infections."

Aid workers warn that extensive infrastructure damage could fuel disease outbreaks. Al Jazeera's correspondent Teresa Bo reported from a shelter in La Guaira: "There's been lots of reports of diarrhoea and other diseases. They're asking for portable toilets and help from the government to prevent overcrowding and the spread of disease."

The US regime has deployed some 900 military personnel to support relief operations and offered $300 million in assistance, a fraction of the estimated $6.7 billion in material damage. About 50 international aid teams have arrived, including from Ecuador and Israel. Rescuers continue to find survivors, including a toddler trapped for six days.

Before the quakes, Venezuela's public hospitals were strained by shortages of water, energy, medical equipment, and staff. Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have left since 2013, including about a third of the country's 60,000 registered physicians. "The earthquakes once again highlight the Venezuelan government's inability to provide an adequate healthcare system," said Huniades Urbina of the paediatrics association.

Source: www.aljazeera.com