Giovanni Varela

Taking Health Care to the People

Giovanni Varela always knew that he wanted to be a doctor. But during medical school at Universidad del Zulia in his hometown of Maracaibo, Zulia, in Venezuela, he encountered numerous challenges: The health system, with severe shortages of supplies and medications, limited care to those with the means to pay for it on their own.  

While still a student, he decided he wanted to take health care to those who needed it most.

“My dream is to create a health care system that reaches anyone who needs it, no matter where they are.”

In early 2017, as Venezuela struggled with a social uprising that at times erupted in violence, Varela and three colleagues founded an organization called PALUZ to provide care to anyone in need, guided by the humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, humanity, and independence—offering assistance solely based on need.

When the situation shifted later that year, the organization adapted and continued to provide free health care and services to underserved communities. Varela partnered PALUZ with UN agencies and multiple international NGOs to expand its impact.

PALUZ eventually grew to more than 200 volunteers, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people through a variety of humanitarian projects. These include community management of acute malnutrition for children and pregnant and lactating women; strengthening the health system through capacity building, infrastructure development, and supplies; and creating mobile clinics to provide health consultations and treatments in hard-to-reach, vulnerable areas and Indigenous communities. 

Varela knew he could further the impact and reach of humanitarian operations with an MPH. At the Bloomberg School, he plans to concentrate in Humanitarian Health to reach the most vulnerable populations in Venezuela, Latin America, and the world.