- Title: Venezuelan doctors protest shortage of medicine and medical supplies
- Date: 22nd May 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) OPPOSITION PROTESTERS MARCHING PEOPLE WEARING WHITE LAB COATS, HOLDING BANNER AND CHANTING PEOPLE CHANTING 'THERE ARE NO VACCINES, THERE ARE NO SUTURES, WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THE PATIENTS' PERSON MARCHING DRESSED AS A SKELETON WITH SIGN 'VENEZUELANS DIE FOR LACK OF MEDICINE' AND 'HOSPITALS IN INTENSIVE THERAPY' PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH SIGNS THAT READ 'MEDICINES NOW' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING ACTIVISTS CHANTING 'NO, NO, IT'S NOT OKAY THAT THERE IS NEVER ANYTHING IN OUR HOSPITALS' (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NAIRA CORREA, PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are all here because we are tired of the humanitarian crisis that we are living through. It is not possible that in this country, a patient diagnosed with hypertension is practically given a death sentence simply because we don't have the necessary supplies to treat an illness as simple as this." MAN MARCHING AND HOLDING RELIGIOUS FIGURE THAT READS 'I AM ONE OF YOU' PEOPLE HOLDING POSTERS AND BANNERS AS THEY MARCH LITTLE GIRL MARCHING AND HOLDING SIGN JULIO BORGES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT, MARCHING WITH ACTIVISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JULIO BORGES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT, SAYING: "Venezuela is marching for freedom but it is also marching for hunger, it is also marching for lack of medicines, it is marching for the dignity that we deserve as Venezuelans. And the nice thing is that the people are here demonstrating that we will fight until the end for our dignity, for our liberty. Today, we do it for doctors but we could do it for everyone." PEOPLE MARCHING WITH BANNER THAT READS: 'HEALTH IS NOT A FAVOR. IT'S A RIGHT!' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING WITH POSTERS AND FLAGS PRO-GOVERNMENT ACTIVISTS RALLYING
- Embargoed: 5th June 2017 19:16
- Keywords: shortages medicine health medical workers opposition protest march doctors
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HX9JK7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Thousands of health care workers from Venezuela's opposition hit the streets on Monday (May 22) to march against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, in what is now the seventh week of continuous protests against the leftist president.
Dubbed a march for health and life, doctors, medical students and other providers demanded the government respond to the dire scarcity of medicine and basic medical supplies hampering health care.
Opposition leaders are demanding a foreign humanitarian channel to supply much-needed medicine and food, elections, autonomy for the opposition-controlled legislature and freedom for jailed activists.
The protesters rallied and set off, headed to the Health Ministry, but most opposition marches now turn violent when security forces block their way, with masked youths from a self-styled "Resistance" movement hurling stones and petrol bombs at lines of National Guard troops who use teargas and water cannons to turn them back.
A smaller, pro-government rally took place across the city.
Since the beginning of April, at least 47 people have died in anti-Maduro unrest, including supporters of both sides, some bystanders, and members of the security forces. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
