A leading medical expert in Venezuela has called on the United States to completely lift its sanctions to help alleviate the severe humanitarian and public health crisis exacerbated by the country's recent twin earthquakes.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Huniades Urbina, former president of Venezuela's National Academy of Medicine, said the healthcare system was already crippled by shortages before the quakes, and now half of hospital beds are unusable.
He warned that more than 16,000 injured patients from the twin earthquakes have overwhelmed hospitals, which face a critical shortage of equipment to treat severe injuries such as hip fractures and traumatic brain trauma.
"We couldn't even fully meet the medical needs of our regular patients, and now we are facing this earthquake. We have over 16,000 injured people distributed across different hospitals, all of which has pushed the medical system far beyond its limits. Therefore, we are asking the United States to consider completely lifting sanctions so that more medical supplies can enter Venezuela, whether through donations or direct purchases," he said.
For more than a decade, Venezuela has been subject to unilateral U.S. sanctions that have constrained its economic development and weakened its capacity to respond to crises such as the recent twin earthquakes. While Washington has granted temporary exemptions for earthquake relief, years of restricted access to resources have deeply disrupted the country’s industrial base and left its healthcare system chronically short of supplies.
The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,811, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Venezuela medical expert appeals for lifting U.S. sanctions amid quake crisis
Leaders In Future Tech+ (LIFT+), a large-scale documentary program focused on youth sci-tech innovation, made for integrated-media, was officially aired on Oct 3 by China Media Group (CMG).
Starting Oct 3, the program is set to air every Saturday at 17:30 on CMG's CCTV-4 channel and be simultaneously presented across its Yangshipin new media matrix.
The program, jointly produced by China Media Group, the Ministry of Education, and the municipal government of Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, brings together resources from industry, academia, research, and investment sectors to make a comprehensive showcase of the thriving ecosystem and dynamic growth of China's youth-led sci-tech innovation.
Since its launch, LIFT+ has held 15 preliminary rounds spanning 10 cities across China. Following a rigorous selection process involving nearly 500 registered enterprises and innovation teams, 100 groups of young innovators -- with an average age of 28 -- gathered in Nanjing to embark on a journey of growth, bridging technology with capital and connecting creative ideas with industry.
The premiere episode of the program uses a documentary-style perspective to chronicle the journeys of 22 teams of young innovators who unanimously passed the preliminary selection. A panel of "Youth Innovation Ambassadors" -- comprising over a dozen academicians, industry experts, and heads of leading investment firms -- is set up to help the young innovators take the center stage.
LIFT+ has demonstrated significant effectiveness in empowering the industry. Through multiple rounds of selection and a series of implementation-focused events, the program has secured investment intentions totaling over 485 million yuan (nearly 72.5 million US dollars) across 34 participating sci-tech enterprises. Furthermore, its collaboration with the city of Nanjing has led to 31 businesses setting up shop there.
CMG airs documentary program on youth sci-tech innovation
