Peru: medical care urgently needed for migrants from Venezuela

In recent years, political tension and economic hardship, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have pushed more than seven million people to flee their homes in Venezuela, resulting in one of the largest displacement crises in the world. Eighty per cent of those who migrate are taking refuge in Latin American countries, mainly Colombia and Peru. Violence and acute anxiety caused by uncertainty and the lack of prospects mark every step of their journey.

"Migrants face a number of traumatic experiences, including violence, threats, discrimination and forced labour, without adequate access to healthcare services," says Milagritos, medical officer with MSF in Tumbes, a strategic hub in the north-south and south-north migration route, where more than 250 people are treated by MSF every day.

Here, as in Lima, the country’s capital, our teams provide medical and psycho-social care to migrants crossing into Peru. Their already vulnerable situation is compounded by their irregular status in the host country, which severely restricts their rights and exposes them to physical and mental health problems that can leave a mark for the rest of their lives.

In Tumbes, MSF runs two primary healthcare posts in collaboration with the local health authorities, providing medical services and psychological counselling, and runs health promotion activities. In 2022, we carried out more than 14,700 medical consultations in the city, nearly 20 per cent of patients being children under five. Our teams are also helping with COVID-19 vaccination.

At this juncture in the migration journey, the most common illnesses found are acute respiratory and skin infections, trauma, accidental injuries or burns, and dehydration", says Milagritos. MSF teams have also seen many pregnant women who need birth control because they did not receive adequate medical care during their journey.