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Video: Venezuela's Health Crisis with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

The response to Venezuela's health crisis should be "region-led and not U.S.-led," said Secretary Alex Azar, though Washington will provide support and resources.

“There’s a tremendous tragedy, a catastrophe of healthcare in Venezuela,” said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar in a conversation with AS/COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth. “But when freedom comes, the sheer lack of infrastructure provides an opportunity to build a quality health system from the ground up,” he said at the event hosted by Council of the Americas in Washington, DC. Azar outlined U.S. efforts to address Venezuela’s public health crisis as he prepares to meet with Latin American leaders in Peru. The secretary made clear that the response to the crisis should be region-led and not U.S.-led, though the United States, he said, will provide “immeasurable financial support and human resources.” Azar also discussed how the private sector should “not wait,” begin to rebuild Venezuela’s healthcare system as soon as possible.

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