Religious sisters set up field hospital after Venezuela earthquakes damage historic San José Hospital

The Little Sisters of the Poor of Maiquetía set up a field hospital to care for the sick and wounded after last month's deadly earthquakes in Venezuela left San José Hospital in La Guaira with severe structural damage.

Operating under tents and temporary shelters directly across the street from San José Hospital, physicians from the sisters' congregation are providing medical care alongside the Italian Red Cross and other Christian healthcare organizations, according to Vatican News.

As Zeale News previously reported, twin earthquakes struck Venezuela June 24, killing more than 2,900 people and injuring more than 16,000 at the time of reporting. Vatican News reported the death toll has since risen to more than 3,500.

Sister María Yraida Mora Sánchez, vicar general of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor of Maiquetía, said the congregation remains committed to caring for those affected by the earthquakes despite the challenges facing its own ministry, the outlet reported.

"We are working under tents and temporary shelters,” Sister Maria said, “doing everything we can to make the space functional…even though many of our staff and volunteers have themselves been affected by the disaster.” 

In addition to staffing the field hospital, the sisters regularly visit three emergency shelters, bringing displaced families water, food, medicines, and other essential supplies, according to Vatican News.

Sister Mora said the earthquakes have compounded an already fragile healthcare system, leaving an urgent need for antihistamines, blood pressure medication, and antifungal creams. She described the shortages of essential supplies as "endless" and said much of the region remains without running water.

Vatican News added that the sisters also continue caring for patients with chronic illnesses, including those who rely on ongoing treatment and medication for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and epilepsy.

Vatican News reported that San José Hospital has served the La Guaira community for 138 years. The outlet described it as the birthplace of the Little Sisters of the Poor of Maiquetía and noted that the congregation's founders are buried there.

"The hospital is not simply a building of walls and concrete," Sister Mora said. "The hospital is each one of us — every nurse, every doctor, and every sister who strives each day to give the very best of themselves."