Bolivian Response to COVID-19
As we in the US undergo a growing period of isolation in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we want to remain close to our friends, partners, and patients in Bolivia. To keep you connected to the Bolivian reality, we are sharing this update on the situation, relayed by our colleague, Maria Eugenia Brockmann, in Cochabamba.
As of the publishing time of this article, Bolivia has 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19, spread throughout 3 different departments (states). The majority of these are cases that originated in foreign travel, and the national and regional governments are taking dramatic steps to stop community spread.
On March 11th the first two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Bolivia. By March 13, the government had enacted a quarantine policy for international travelers and called for the closure of all schools. Announced yesterday (March 17), are even stricter guidelines for isolation. All workers in the private and public sector will move to a limited work schedule. Food markets will be open until 3 pm. Public transit in urban areas will end at 4 pm daily, and even private cars will be restricted between 6 pm and 5 am. Today, Bolivia will close their borders to foreign travelers, restrict regional travel within the country, and tomorrow halt all international flights.
“These are the guidelines from the national government, but each region is also making their own decrees,” shared Maria Eugenia. “For example, I was in the Chapare, but had to return to the city yesterday because regional transportation throughout the department of Cochabamba is shut down starting today. I spoke with the driver of my microbus yesterday and he is very worried. He depends on his day-to-day wages, and wasn’t sure how he will be able to continue the loan payments on his vehicle if he isn’t able to work.”
These restrictions are dramatic, and pose immense challenges, especially for a significant portion of the population who depend on their daily earnings for survival. The government is currently working on ways to alleviate these pains.
“Social distancing will be hard for us,” lamented Maria Eugenia. “Our culture is very social, we greet each other with hugs and kisses. We spend lots of time together with family. But we also live in multi-generational households, and we care about each other’s health, so we will do what is needed. We’re glad to see that so far we have not had many additional cases caused by community spread of the virus. In the meantime, people are already finding creative ways to connect using what we have, especially our vibrant local radio stations and whatsapp.”
Puente de Solidaridad promotes the #QuedateEnCasa ‘stay at home’ campaign while remaining open to serve the urgent medical needs of our patients and medical partners.
For our partners at Puente de Solidaridad, this is a challenging time. At the announcement of the first COVID-19 cases, our hospital partners began to reach out to warehouse manager, Jose Choque, requesting supplies needed to protect healthcare workers and respond to this pandemic. We are working now to include more of these supplies in our upcoming shipment of materials.
The offices of Puente de Solidaridad also remain open on a limited schedule. As executive director Patricia Vargas Rojas shares, “Health is a vital value, so in these times of epidemiological emergency, we recommend preventative isolation. Our doors will remain open however, in accordance with the health authority, precisely because we are here to help with the health of the population.”
The offices are open in both Cochabamba and Santa Cruz to provide urgent medical supplies to our hospital partners and patients alike, as well as coordinate care for the most vulnerable patients. Patients living on the margins have often already delayed medical treatment due to the pressures of their daily responsibilities or lack of financial resources. These are the people we strive to serve, especially in these challenging circumstances.
In the context of the global coronavirus pandemic we recognize, more than ever, that we are one human family interconnected across geographic boundaries. We are renewed in the belief that we must eliminate boundaries around our healthcare and prioritize the needs of those who are most vulnerable. We ask for your prayers and solidarity with our patients, and partners in Bolivia, and especially with our missioner community of medical professionals here in the US.
Throughout this period we will endeavor to remain connected as a community. We invite you to share your prayer requests with us, let us know how you are doing, or share what questions you may have in the comments.