Reports on Helping young Venezuelan doctors scholarship

Project Report | Mar 14, 2024
Junior Doctors Report March 2024

By Staff | Healing Venezuela

JUNIOR DOCTORS FINAL REPORT 2023

“Thank you very much for considering us, for believing in us Venezuelan doctors, for trusting that we have the potential and the desire to succeed and learn every day to help those who need it most. I hope that your generosity will be rewarded with health for you and your loved ones.”

Testimony from Beatriz, one of our Junior Doctors´ beneficiaries.

Introduction

According to the 2024 World Report by Human Rights Watch Organization, in Venezuela, nearly 19 million people require humanitarian assistance due to their inability to access adequate healthcare and nutrition⁽¹⁾. This accounts for nearly 60% of the population. It’s not a surprise that more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country, creating one of the largest migration crises in the world.

Due to the exodus of senior doctors, state hospitals, where 87% of impoverished Venezuelans get their healthcare, have become heavily reliant on junior doctors. Training and retention, however, remains a tremendous challenge. Each doctor sees upwards of 100 patients a month, but with a salary between $50 to $70 a month they struggle to afford even basic food and essentials for themselves.

This is why, since 2018, Healing Venezuela has been sponsoring junior doctors with a monthly allowance on the condition that they stay in the country for two years. Large hospitals which attend the lowest income Venezuelans were chosen in the most populated areas of the country and, in agreement with the heads of departments, candidates were identified and chosen to receive a monthly allowance. To date, more than 400 doctors have benefited from the programme.

How the Programme Works

Since 2018, the criteria to choose which hospitals to work with were: large footfall (20,000+ patients per year), location and reputation. This is why we have worked with well-known health institutions in the most populous areas of Venezuela. We had to drop one hospital as its performance wasn’t transparent enough and we added three new ones. We have been working with the remaining 5 hospitals for the last six years.

The criteria to participate are:

The applicant is from a low-income background, and her/his financial situation jeopardises their training
The applicant does not receive any additional support from scholarships schemes similar to Healing Venezuela´s
The head of department/head of discipline proposes the applicant
The applicant must keep an average of 15 points (over 20), or if less, it needs to be justified by the sponsor
The applicant commits to remain two years in the country after finishing the training

The documents requested are:

Studies Certificate from the university
Academic grades from the previous year
Forms filled including:

personal details,
photos and video consent,
signed agreement to remain in the country for two years and to provide photos, videos and testimonies when required

Once these documents have been received and verified, the new applicants are included in the list of grantees. Cash transfers are done at the beginning of the month through a money transfer outfit in the UK, Roraima Remesas, to each doctor’s bank account in local currency. If a doctor leaves the programme, the head of the department proposes new candidates to replace them. The National Project Coordinator verifies that payments are made by checking the invoices and keeping in touch with the beneficiaries via email and WhatsApp.

Impact

In 2023, we sponsored 100 junior doctors. Unfortunately, because of hyperinflation and the challenging economic environment, we had to reduce the number of intakes to 59 in 2023. In the Annex, we are include a table with number of patients treated per data regarding the number of appointments per hospital, per month throughout 2023 and the average cost of consultation. The numbers speak for themselves.

We made a rough estimate of the ROI for this programme and though it is a difficult exercise for a public health programme and compare with other countries. Based on our data, the cost of a consultation by a junior doctor in a hospital in Venezuela is less than $1. Considering an estimate of 800,000 consultations per year and the total investment of £51,898 in 2023, the ROI of this programme is approximately 277%. ⁽²⁾

1) Informe Mundial 2024: Venezuela | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)

2) To calculate ROI, we compared the net profit generated by the programme to the cost of investment. The net profit is determined by subtracting the total expenditure from the estimated return. Then, this result is divided by the cost of investment and expressed as a percentage. We used an exchange rate of £1 = $1.34.

ANNEXES

Annex 1 Summary of Junior Doctors Programme Consultations (attachment)

Annex 2 Summary of Junior Doctors Programme Disbursements (attachment)

Annex 3 Testimonial and Pictures

Beatriz is a 29-year-old young woman who, in December 2024, will obtain a specialization in Internal Medicine; she will graduate from the University of Zulia and works at Dr Pedro Garcia Clara Hospital. Beatriz family’s consists of her father, mother, and two siblings; she is the second child. Her family has always been very close-knit, despite facing difficulties that they have managed to overcome, including her father's imprisonment in 2019 for a serious legal problem. For Beatriz, this was the saddest and worrying experience she had in her life. Fortunately it only lasted a few months. Now he enjoys full freedom, thanks to the clarification of the situation and the demonstration of her father's innocence.

Beatriz comes from a family with limited financial resources, which has made continuing her studies a significant challenge. However, the financial support we have provided to Beatriz has been crucial. Below, we share her testimony and how being part of this programme has been of great help to her; she also tells us how she uses the money she receives; she expresses gratitude to the donors who, without knowing her or her colleagues, are always willing to donate; and finally, she shares what she would say to others about who we are:

How does being part of the programme impact your life?

Being part of the programme truly has a positive impact on my life and that of my family. Thanks to the support I have received from you for several years now, I have been able to pursue my postgraduate studies in Internal Medicine, which is not easy due to the high costs in Venezuela, as the salary we Venezuelan doctors receive is not enough to cover even our basic needs. Because of this, I strive even harder to achieve my dream, my goal of becoming an internist, so that I can continue to help the many low-income patients who come to the hospital daily.

How do you use the assistance received from Healing Venezuela?

I use it for various purposes, such as paying the trimester fee, which currently costs $45; requesting certified transcripts, enrolment certificates; purchasing uniforms; making copies or prints; paying for transportation; breakfasts, and occasionally lunches.

What do you say to all the donors who make your financial support possible?

Firstly, thank you very much for considering us, for believing in us Venezuelan doctors, for trusting that we have the potential and the desire to succeed and learn every day to help those who need it most. I encourage you to continue supporting this programme, and I hope that your generosity will be rewarded with health for you and your loved ones.

How would you describe Healing Venezuela to a friend?

Healing Venezuela is like my second family. They are the people who, without knowing me, without any personal interest, put their hopes in me and help me every day in my education. Healing Venezuela is that support, that helping hand, that light at the end of the tunnel, that strength that accompanies you and never leaves you alone. It is the determination to keep fighting despite the adversities.

Every time I talk about you to a colleague who is not part of this programme, I tell them how blessed I am. Finally, I pray to God every day for more donors to join, so that I am sure you can extend this support to more doctors in Venezuela.

Attachments:

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Nov 14, 2023
GG Report August - November 2023

By Staff | Healing Venezuela

Junior Doctors Sponsorship Programme

Report

August – November 2023

It's the last months of this year, and the Junior Doctors are in the final stretch of their academic year. Inflation continues to plague the country's economy, and the doctors are not spared. However, thanks to the contributions of donors, it is possible to continue with this program where not only the doctors who receive scholarships are benefited but also hundreds of people who are treated daily by the doctors.

How the Programme Works

The sponsorship requests come from the heads of discipline in hospitals where junior doctors are training. Once a request is received, our National Project Coordinator verifies the information and shares it with the board. If approved in the UK, we request the heads of medical departments in Venezuela to provide the documentation as per our guidelines.

The criteria to participate are:

The applicant is from a low-income background, and her/his financial situation jeopardises their training
The applicant does not receive any additional support from scholarships schemes similar to Healing Venezuela´s
The head of department/head of discipline proposes the applicant
The applicant must keep an average of 15 points (over 20), or if less, it needs to be justified by the sponsor
The applicant commits to remain two years in the country after finishing the training

The documents requested are:

Studies certificate from the university
Form filled
CV
Testimonies, when required

Once these have been received and verified, the new applicants are included in the list of grantees. Cash transfers are done at the beginning of the month through a money transfer outfit in the UK, Roraima Remesas, to each doctor’s bank account in local currency. If a doctor leaves the programme, the head of the department proposes new candidates to replace them. The National Project Coordinator verifies that payments are made by checking the invoices and keeping in touch with the beneficiaries via email and WhatsApp.

The number of scholarships is allocated considering the size of the hospital, the population density of the catchment area, and the requests from the heads of discipline. Table 1 shows the number of scholarships allocated per hospital.

Impact

The impact of this programme has multiple dimensions. First, it allows young professionals to continue their education, increasing their probability of higher income. Second, with the exodus of doctors and such a high percentage of poverty, junior doctors keep hospital wards open, allowing the poorest Venezuelans to receive medical attention.

Testimonial

Name and surname: Desire Del Carmen Gonzalez Gonzalez

Hospital: Dr Pedro Garcia Clara. Zulia

University: La Universidad del Zulia

Specialist: Internal Medicine

Date: August 2023

How do you feel when you receive the monthly scholarship?

Dissatisfied Neutral Grateful

X

Do you think the scholarship helps you in your financial situation?

Yes Neutral No

X

Do you know a colleague who is in a position to need this scholarship?

Yes No

X

Conclusion

The commitment, dedication and hard work of these young professionals, who work with very few resources, deserve all the support we can provide. Organisations such as GlobalGiving and others made a big difference in the lives of thousands of Venezuelans in 2023. We hope we can count on their generous support in the near future.

REFERENCES

Table and photos in the PDF attachment

Attachments:

GG_Report_August__November_2023.pdf (PDF)

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Aug 14, 2023
Junior Doctors Sponsorship (Jan-July 2023)

By Staff | Healing Venezuela

Junior Doctors Sponsorship Programme

(January 2023 – July 2023)

Introduction

The most recent report from the United Nations in December 2022 established that in Venezuela, 7 million people need humanitarian assistance (1). A similar number of Venezuelans are now refugees in other countries in Latin America, as stated by Human Rights Watch (January 2023) (2). The restart of the negotiations in Mexico between the Government and the opposition to address the crisis in Venezuela is stalled, and much-needed support for 90% of the impoverished population hasn´t materialised. The Venezuelan Observatory of Finance (OVF) (3) reported that the inter-annual inflation rate climbed 157%, and the accumulated rate stood at 111.8%.

The exodus of professionals from all disciplines continues. Doctors and nurses are not an exception, and hospitals are closing entire wards for lack of staff. An estimated 40,000 doctors have left the country since the beginning of the crisis in 2017, and the number will continue to grow in 2023. Almost 50% of doctors have migrated, looking for a better future.

Healing Venezuela’s mission is to alleviate the country’s humanitarian crisis through a series of programmes. One of the most successful is the junior doctors´ sponsorship programme. Their role is crucial as they are at the forefront of medical care in state hospitals, but their salaries, even with an increase in 2022, it’s between $40 and $143 monthly, depending on the hospitals where they work and how many shifts they do. Despite the increase, the situation continues to be critical. With an inflation rate of three digits and sometimes having to wait months to be paid, it's hard to make ends meet. Considering that the food basket for a family of four is $490, salaries are not enough for a skilled professional who can find a job either in the private sector or elsewhere. It´s not surprising that the brain drain continues.

Since 2018, Healing Venezuela has supported junior doctors in different hospitals across the country, transferring a small amount of money in local currency every month to their accounts. The programme’s attrition rate is less than 1%, which means that the sponsorship is helping to retain doctors in the country. More than 400 doctors from our sponsorship have graduated.

With the generous support from GLOBALGIVING and others foundations, this year we could increase the monthly allowance from $25 to $50 and expanded the programme to 8 hospitals across the country. Supporting junior doctors continues to be one of Healing Venezuela’s main priorities as its multiplying effect is a very effective one.

How the Programme Works

The sponsorship requests come from the heads of discipline in hospitals where junior doctors are training. Once a request is received, our National Project Coordinator verifies the information and shares it with the board. If approved in the UK, we request the heads of medical departments in Venezuela to provide the documentation as per our guidelines.

The criteria to participate are:

The applicant is from a low-income background, and her/his financial situation jeopardises their training
The applicant does not receive any additional support from scholarships schemes similar to Healing Venezuela´s
The head of department/head of discipline proposes the applicant
The applicant must keep an average of 15 points (over 20), or if less, it needs to be justified by the sponsor
The applicant commits to remain two years in the country after finishing the training

The documents requested are:

Studies certificate from the university
Form filled
CV
Testimonies, when required

Once these have been received and verified, the new applicants are included in the list of grantees. Cash transfers are done at the beginning of the month through a money transfer outfit in the UK, Roraima Remesas, to each doctor’s bank account in local currency. If a doctor leaves the programme, the head of the department proposes new candidates to replace them. The National Project Coordinator verifies that payments are made by checking the invoices and keeping in touch with the beneficiaries via email and WhatsApp.

The number of scholarships is allocated considering the size of the hospital, the population density of the catchment area, and the requests from the heads of discipline. Table 1 shows the number of scholarships allocated per hospital.

Funds Disbursement

Table 2 shows the monthly disbursement. The payment variability depended on two factors: the number of doctors and the inflation rate of the pound versus the dollar versus the Venezuelan currency. The key criteria were to ensure that each doctor in the programme received $50 per month.

Impact

The impact of this programme has multiple dimensions. First, it allows young professionals to continue their education, increasing their probability of higher income. Second, with the exodus of doctors and such a high percentage of poverty, junior doctors keep hospital wards open, allowing the poorest Venezuelans to receive medical attention. Table 3 show the medical consultation number (1st semester).

Testimonials

As part of the requirements to join the scholarship programme, we ask each junior doctor to send a testimony as Q&As to share with our donors at the end of each term. Below are the three we chose.

Testimonial 1

JV - Hospital Luis Razzetti (Barcelona)

Q. Please tell us how Healing Venezuela’s financial support is helping you.

A. “The support works in many ways, helping me pay for the rent of the house and food expenses”.

Q. What would you like to say to the current and future donors?

A. “I would tell them that what they do is a great job, that we are really grateful and that as long as they can help us and those who come next, we will be deeply grateful because we really need them”.

Q. We are aware of the hard work you have been doing, and we would like to know a story of when a patient has shown you special gratitude after treating him.

A. “My patient LC had a serious accident and fractured his pelvis. He had complications, and we had to keep controlling his vital signs and haematology every 6 hours. He was surprised by my commitment, and he always writes to me and thanks me for being a constant support while he went through that emergency”.

Testimonial 2

SH - Hospital Universitario de Caracas (Caracas)

Q. Please tell us how Healing Venezuela’s financial support is helping you.

A. “It helps cover my expenses, such as food and transportation, which makes it easier to go to work. That reduces the stress and worry, and I can focus on my patients”.

Q. What would you like to say to the current and future donors?

A.“I am grateful for the help and support provided, also for supporting other colleagues. Our patients are also part of all this. Our donors have helped us provide the best possible care”.

Q. We are aware of the hard work you have been doing, and we would like to know a story of when a patient has shown you special gratitude after treating him.

A. “I treat children. They are undoubtedly the best patients. The greatest joy is when they can return to their homes with their family”.

Testimonial 3

SV - Hospital Pedro Garcia Lara (Zulia State)

Q. Please tell us how Healing Venezuela’s financial support is helping you.

A. “It helps me pay for my transportation expenses to the hospital as I live in another county and don’t have a car”.

Q. What would you like to say to the current and future donors?

A. “First, I would like to thank them for contributing to this cause. Many of us benefit, and thanks to you, we can fulfil our dreams and goals. Thank you also for continuing to believe in Venezuelan doctors.”

Q. We are aware of the hard work you have been doing, and we would like to know a story of when a patient has shown you special gratitude after treating him.

A. “It is difficult to choose between patients; most people are very grateful, but one of the most significant cases was a male patient who came to the hospital with ventricular tachycardia. We had to apply cardioversion electricity, but the family didn’t have money, so the procedure was done without sedation. It was very painful, but after the procedure, he felt better. The patient and his family were very grateful. He was discharged a few days later without problems, and from time to time, he visits us to bring us plantain that he harvests himself”.

Conclusions

The stories our junior doctors share with us are harrowing, and this report falls short of showing all the moving testimonies we received. The commitment, dedication and hard work of these young professionals, who work with very few resources, deserve all the support we can provide. Organisations such as GlobalGiving and others made a big difference in the lives of thousands of Venezuelans in 2023. We hope we can count on their generous support in the near future.