The Venezuelan government will increase health spending this year and expand its immunisation program, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on March 3. New statistics also highlight the country's decreasing poverty and inequality.
Chavez said the National Vaccination Plan aimed to immunise 95% of the Venezuelan population against 14 diseases in more than 2000 new immunisation centres throughout the country.
"We are engaging in preventive health, protecting the Venezuelan population", Chavez said. "We're going to visit up to 6 million families and vaccinate millions of children and adults."
The government is also planning additional funding for hospital improvement projects and other health programs.
Health minister Luis Reyes Reyes said: "We are giving priority to operating rooms, maternity wards, laboratories, and oncology centers in Barrio Adentro III."
Barrio Adentro is the national health program created by an agreement with Cuba in 2003 that employs Cuban doctors and provides free services in Venezuela. It will have its budget increased.
Some 114 new projects will be started with the extra funds.
Venezuela's National Statistics Institute (INE) president Elias Eljuri said poverty in Venezuela fell to 23% in the second semester of 2009, while extreme poverty has fallen to 6%.
This contrasts substantially with poverty rates of 70% and extreme poverty of 40% in 1996 during the governmentof Rafael Caldera. Chavez was first elected in 1998.
[Abridged from Venezuela Analysis.]