Bolivia

In 2019, MSF opened a small sexual and reproductive health program there for the local indigenous population, which records the highest number of teenage pregnancies and the highest mortality related to pregnancy and childbirth. In September, we opened a maternity ward at the Franz Tamayo primary care center in El Alto. By the end of the year, our teams had attended 54 births and organized 68 ambulance transfers to the center.

The opening of a second maternity unit in the San Roque district of El Alto, originally scheduled for mid-November, was postponed to mid-December due to political unrest. In the first month, the San Roque team attended 27 births.

In both centers, we worked closely with the Ministry of Health to reduce pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality, and to improve access to safe deliveries through quality services adapted to the local culture.

At the height of the troubles, we continued our sexual and reproductive health activities in El Alto, and offered mental health services at a health center in La Paz. We maintained contact with several hospitals, and were ready if necessary to provide ad hoc assistance, such as the medical equipment we supplied to the Senkata hospital.

MSF currently has no activities in Bolivia.