ABSTRACT
Since 1998, when the late Hugo Chavez was sworn in as president of Venezuela, more than a dozen ministers of health have come and gone. Designed to improve access and to deliver on the promise of universal health coverage described in the constitution, the Misión Barrio Adentro national primary care program was launched by the Venezuelan government, with support from the Cuban government in 2003, under their cooperation agreement. Misión Barrio Adentro sought to improve access and revolutionize the concept of health in communities across Venezuela, encompassing not only health, but also education, culture, sports, food security, and other areas of community need. As of December 2014, it was estimated that 80" of Misión Barrio Adentro establishments had been abandoned, with a large number of Venezuelan doctors not participating due to insecurity, and most Cuban doctors having left the country given the existing financial crisis and challenging living conditions.
