Poverty and political instability have driven millions of Venezuelans to leave their country and seek refuge in other Latin American countries, especially after the crisis intensified in 2014. Their already dire situation has been compounded these past few years by the disruption to health systems and society brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peru is the second-largest host country for Venezuelans; an estimated 1.5 million migrants, asylum seekers and refugees had settled there by the end of 2022, after a 3,000-kilometre journey. Over a third of them have an irregular administrative status in the country, and consequently, have limited access to medical care.

Many people arrive in Peru exhausted and dehydrated. Some have been subjected to violence, including sexual violence, and robbed by armed groups or gangsters, during an arduous journey across several borders which can take weeks or even months. Even after they have been in Peru for some time, many people continue to live in precarious, unhygienic conditions, exposed to multiple health issues. 

Throughout 2022, our fixed and mobile clinics offered medical and psychological assistance for migrants in the northern border town of Tumbes, often their first port of entry in the country, and in the capital, Lima, where many end up staying. Our services included general, sexual and reproductive healthcare, mental health support, emergency referrals to hospitals, and treatment for chronic diseases. We also made these services available to Peruvians living in vulnerable circumstances.