Make A Difference » Priority Programs » Friends of Bolivia Fund 

We care about the health and lives of Bolivians!

We received word from the La Paz office of the Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization Regional Office of the Americas (PAHO/WHO), on the situation of the February 2006 floods in Bolivia, and want to share it with you.

PAHO/WHO staff in Bolivia led inter-institutional efforts in the areas of health, water, sanitation, and hygiene in coordination with the Ministry of Health. They also helped their colleagues in other areas, such as shelter and setting up the Operations Center.

• As of February 3, health-related data were not yet available for some departments. However, in Beni and Cochabamba nearly 800 people had acute respiratory infections, such as pneumonia. Also in Beni 90 people were suffering from acute diarrheal diseases, and were at risk of dehydration, even death.
• Cochabamba officially declared a health emergency. Activities were implemented to control dengue, malaria, yellow fever, hanta virus, leishmaniasis, rabies, and other diseases endemic to the department. A three-month health plan (through May 2006) was prepared.
• As of February 6, the situation in San Julián (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) continued to worsen: the number of families housed in 14 shelters has risen to 2008. Some families did not have sufficient food or adequate housing. Nine hundred additional tents were needed as well as80 latrines, medicines (specifications pending), plastic water “bladders”, and water treatment products. Resources and efforts were being redirected to this region.
• In terms of international assistance, priority was given to the departments of La Paz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Beni. The remaining affected departments—Pando, Cochabamba, and Potosí—were be covered with local resources.