Economy and Politics
What is the inflation rate in Venezuela, according to IMF predictions in 2018?
1,000,000%
Name one disease that has returned in Venezuela due to low vaccination rates.
Measles / Diphtheria
What is one country where Venezuelans have migrated in large numbers?
Colombia / Brazil / Ecuador
Which organization recognized that measles is now spreading again in Venezuela?
PAHO / WHO
What key social determinant of health is disrupted by this crisis?
Healthcare access
True/False: Most people in Venezuela can rely on government or private healthcare.
False – the health system has collapsed
How much of the population lives in extreme poverty?
66%
What is one reason Indigenous people are at high risk when they migrate or return?
Low immunity / limited access to care / exposure during travel
Name one country that has seen imported measles cases from Venezuela.
Brazil / Colombia / Ecuador / Peru
In Bronfenbrenner’s systems theory, where would national vaccination policy sit?
Macrosystem
Name one reason why health services are failing in Venezuela.
Lack of medicines, staff shortages, or funding cuts
True/False: Venezuela has full access to child vaccines across all regions
False
True/False: The spread of measles is only happening inside Venezuela.
False: It's spreading across borders
Name one city or state in Brazil affected by measles from Venezuela.
Roraima / Amazonas / Boa Vista
True/False: All Venezuelans are equally affected by the health crisis.
False – Indigenous and remote groups face worse outcomes
What type of work have many Venezuelans turned to after losing jobs in the formal economy?
Informal work / illegal mining
Why are Indigenous children especially vulnerable during disease outbreaks?
Lower vaccine access, remote areas, malnutrition
What are two conditions migrants face that make illness more likely?
Crowding, poor nutrition, long travel, lack of vaccines
What makes it hard to deliver health support to remote Indigenous areas?
Geography / conflict / poor infrastructure
Define “structural vulnerability” in your own words based on the readings.
Structural vulnerability means people face health risks because of larger systems (not just personal choices).
It’s shaped by things like poverty, racism, colonialism, and broken institutions.
In Venezuela, groups like Indigenous communities and children are more vulnerable due to lack of access and systemic neglect.
These groups suffer most when systems collapse, because they were already excluded before the crisis.
What does it mean to say the crisis is “structural” rather than just a short-term emergency?
Response should link to systemic causes and political neglect
What does this health crisis teach us about how poverty and politics shape health?
Any of the following points:
Economic collapse: Hyperinflation and poverty made food, medicine, and transport unaffordable; hospitals ran out of basic supplies.
Political mismanagement: Corruption, denial of the crisis, and restrictions on aid worsened health conditions.
Health politicization: Access to care and resources often depended on political loyalty.
Poverty–health cycle: Malnutrition, disease outbreaks (malaria, measles), and loss of healthcare workers reinforced poverty.
Core lesson: Health is shaped by social, political, and economic systems and not just medical factors.
Scenario: A child crosses the border into Brazil. What health risks might they face, and how do borders make things harder?
5 points:
Basic health risks (1 point)
Malnutrition, dehydration, or infectious diseases (e.g., measles, malaria, diarrhoea).
Environmental / living conditions (1 point)
Exposure to unsanitary camps, unsafe water, and overcrowded shelters.
Mental health risks (1 point)
Trauma, anxiety, or distress from displacement and family separation.
Border barriers (1 point)
Lack of documentation limits access to healthcare, vaccines, or schooling.
System strain (1 point)
Local clinics in Brazil are overwhelmed and under-resourced for migrant care.
Why is this not just a Venezuelan issue but a regional and global public health concern?
5 points:
Disease spread: Outbreaks like measles and malaria have crossed borders into neighbouring countries.
Mass migration: Millions fleeing strain health and sanitation systems across Latin America.
Health inequality: Host nations face uneven capacity to provide care, widening regional disparities.
Humanitarian urgency: The crisis requires coordinated international aid and public health response.
Interconnected systems: Health, migration, and politics are global issues as illness and instability don’t stop at borders.
Using the concept of “precarity,” explain why displaced populations face ongoing health risks even after crossing borders.
Precarity continues after migration – Crossing a border doesn’t end risk; migrants still face unstable living conditions.
Legal status limits access – Undocumented or temporary status can block healthcare, jobs, and services.
Host systems create barriers – Language, discrimination, and fear of deportation make it hard to access care.
Basic needs are unmet – Food, housing, and hygiene are still insecure, leading to long-term health risks.
It’s structural, not personal – These risks are produced by systems and policies, not individual choices.