Venezuela Public Health Crisis: Nation Short On HIV-AIDS Virus Treatment

Venezuela is amidst an internal struggles, as the nation's citizens have been rallying against President Nicolás Maduro's government since February of 2014. Led by Venezuelan opposition María Corina Machado and Leopoldo López, the protests have been making headlines around the world, as the government has been arresting opposition members and many have lost their lives. According to a new survey from the polling group Datanálisis, the majority of the Venezuelan public (59.2 percent) disapproves of Maduro's performance as the leader of the South American nation after he succeeded Hugo Chávez and in light of the protests.

Now there's more bad news for Venezuelans and Maduro's government, as a potential public health crisis could be looming over the South American country. The nation -- which is notorious for its shortages of basic essentials -- is reportedly running low of the medicines that treat the HIV-AIDS virus. This shortage will directly impact the 50,000-some Venezuelans that are taking the antiretroviral medicines, which prevent the HIV virus from transitioning into AIDS. In fact, local non-profit groups claim that thousands are currently living without their medications already.

"I go to the state hospital once or twice a week to see if my pills have arrived,'' says schoolteacher Jose Ramos, 38, to USAToday. "They always tell me to come back later."

The shortage of medicines available to the public highlights the flaws in the socialist government's planning, which proudly offers free and comprehensive healthcare plans to its citizens. But free and comprehensive healthcare is pointless to the people of Venezuela if they are not provided with the right amenities -- patients have been known to be hospitalized for long periods of time due to shortage of supplies or having to pay for their doctor's equipment when supplies run short.

In light of the medical shortages, HIV/AIDS patients have had to access treatment from NGO's, but the donations are not enough to meet the demands of the deficit in Venezuela.

In terms of shortages, last week the Venezuelan government announcing that a water rationing plan will be in effect. The emergency plan, according to the government, can leave 6 million Venezuelans without water for three days a week and has been implemented to counter the drought caused by the country's dry season. Government officials have revealed that water levels at the Lagartijo reservoir, which has fallen to near record lows, will not normalize until August, or even September.

And it's not just water that Venezuelans will be finding a shortage of. Earlier this month, food company Empresas Polar announced that it would be halting production of pasta at one of its facilities due to a delay in payment from the government. While Polar did not go on record to say how much money they need, in January, the company said it is owed $463 million by the Venezuelan government.