Two massive back-to-back earthquakes struck several states across Venezuela, causing casualties, injuries, and widespread damage to infrastructure and basic services. In the days since, Doctors of the World has activated its emergency response and begun mobilizing teams on the ground.
This is not our first time in Venezuela. We have been working there since 2019 through humanitarian action and community health programs, which means our teams already know the context, the people, and the challenges they face.
Right now, we are conducting a rapid needs assessment in coordination with local organizations, affected communities, and other humanitarian actors to identify where help is needed most.
“At this moment, our priority is to support the people affected by this emergency, especially those in the most vulnerable situations,” says Elena Cáceres, Doctors of the World’s coordinator in Venezuela. “Our teams are gathering information on the ground to deploy the necessary assistance as quickly and effectively as possible.”
Based on what we are seeing on the ground, the most urgent needs include search-and-rescue operations, emergency medical care, shelter, and psychosocial support for those affected—alongside the restoration of basic health and water services.
We are preparing to scale up our operational capacity to meet these needs and will continue working alongside affected communities to protect their health and well-being.
We are also calling on the international community to support response and recovery efforts—ensuring that aid reaches people quickly, in a coordinated way, and based on what communities actually need.