Sectorial Vice President Iturria: Technical inspection guarantees safety in health centers
Press
Published at: 02/07/2026 05:56 PM
A technical deployment for inspection and damage assessment was carried out in health centers in the affected states after the earthquake that occurred last June 24. In this regard, the sector vice-president of Science, Technology, Ecosocialism and Health, Dr. Isabel Iturria, reported on the implementation of an infrastructure evaluation system under strict safety standards.
“Our priority is to ensure that every healthcare space is a safe place. We spare no effort in the technical evaluation of every wall, beam and column in our hospitals; the safety of our patients and the health team is non-negotiable,” he said.
Under the established evaluation protocol, the authorities determine the operability of health centers in order to prevent risks in the face of possible aftershocks or additional seismic events. In this way, alternative and immediate care routes are activated for patients in the event of the possible damage to hospital buildings.
“Red” classification: Hospitals such as Rísquez and the Car Hospital remain temporarily disabled after infrastructure evaluations. The staff of both centers will be relocated to other facilities until their rehabilitation.
“Green” classification with special measures: Hospitals such as the Concepción Palacios Maternity Hospital and the J.M. de los Ríos Hospital have damage to the structure of beams and columns, although there is no risk of collapse, in addition to minor damage to masonry, friezes and ceilings. These centers maintain their operation with restricted admission; patients are transferred to other hospitals while carrying out rapid rehabilitation work.
The patients at J.M. de los Ríos were transferred to the Children's Cardiology Hospital, where medical and nursing staff provide care in optimal and safe conditions. For their part, the patients of the Concepción Palacios Maternity Hospital were referred to the University Hospital of Caracas, the Maternal and Child Hospital of the Valley, which guarantees immediate care without interruption.
In addition, health authorities announced that most hospitals in the country currently operate with occupancy levels lower than 75%, allowing them to maintain their capacity to respond to any contingency.
Mazo News Team