Dr. Mauro Herrera has a curriculum as extensive as the list of patients he has attended in his office since he graduated from the Universidad de Los Andes in 1980, but in addition to that he is committed to the country and to the care of Venezuelans who they approach the hospital and the Vargas school, where they are in charge of training new generations of doctors who seek to specialize in cardiology.
—Why if you have a career and knowledge to undertake in another country, you decide to stay in Venezuela?
—In the first place I can begin to answer that I already left a long time ago and decided to return and stay. It was always very clear to me, when I began my training as a cardiologist and interventional cardiology, that upon completing my studies and hospital work, I would return to the country, to work in patient care in both the public and private services and, above all, with the idea of training doctors in the area, an activity that I have been carrying out since then. On why not leave our country, I consider that now more than ever we must train more and better professionals in the area. Cardiovascular diseases represent the first cause of morbidity and death in our country. Those of only coronary origin are between 20% to 22%. And if you add aorta problems, strokes, hypertension, diabetes (assuming that diabetes is a cardiovascular disease with high blood glucose levels) we reach the figure of 33,7%.
- Is there an expectation for the future in Venezuela? How do you see the future?
—The responsibility for the health of our country belongs to our entire society. If we see or want to see health as medical care, it obviously depends on the State, not only on the national, regional and local government but on all institutions. But health depends on the set of actions and policies aimed at promoting a better way of living, that there is a physical, spiritual enjoyment that allows us to unleash all our joys, with a better life, with the enjoyment of spirituality. . In that sense, I do believe and trust that our country has a great future, since all our population has that capacity and desire for change and a better life. Our country has all the resources and riches to get ahead, but it must be a joint effort of all and change the mentality that everything must be given. Everything must be achieved as a response to an activity carried out and compensated. We all must work. Everyone.
"What would you say to Venezuelans who are removing the daisy from leaves or to stay?"
—I am very respectful of the decision that the people of our country can make to think that by leaving for other countries they will achieve better living conditions and, of course, also of those people who stay here. It is much better to start here than to try to do it in other lands. You can see the unfortunate situation that our compatriots live in who left looking for another luck. Now it turns out that in other countries they discovered that there is crime or bad things due to the arrival of Venezuelans. And they want to make us responsible and scapegoats for the ills of those societies. I advise starting here, exhausting here. For example, the doctors want to leave, but see how in our hospitals there are doctors from outside who come to carry out postgraduate studies. They must see something in our country.
—You as a doctor bet on Venezuela and keep your job here despite the situation, what contribution do you make to health in the country?
—I have always believed and believe in my country. I am still working at the Vargas Hospital in Caracas where I am the head of the cardiology and hemodynamics service, sharing my healthcare activity with that of a teacher; I teach undergraduate classes at the José María Vargas School of Medicine, postgraduate courses in cardiology at our hospital, and interventional cardiology at our hemodynamics unit. We are working, serving a large population (with a list of around 700 patients awaiting cardiac catheterization or coronary angioplasty with stenting) that comes from all over the national territory. We have a triage of the hemodynamics consultation every Friday, where around 60 patients come every week. We serve many patients; Every day they come more demanding our services and we are here to help them.
Good afternoon, how are you, doctor? I truly owe you the life of my son and I am very grateful to you. May God protect him. I always remember him a lot for his love and humility. A doctor like you is very difficult. He is 100% humanitarian. May God always take care of my son, whose life you helped and saved. His name is Victor Pagua. I need an appointment for him at the Vargas Hospital. I await your response. Best regards and a big hug.