Hospitals in Bolivia closed for infected patients and doctors

(Prensa Latina) The 32,125 Covid-19 patients detected to date in Bolivia and the infected doctors caused the collapse or closure of some 20 of the 34 third-level hospitals in the country, reported sources in the sector.

The growing increase in the number of patients (601 of them reported this Tuesday) and the thousand and 71 deaths registered since the pandemic began ‘put intensive care in the Bolivian health system,’ added the leader of the Union of Medical Health Branches, Fernando Romero.

According to the source, some healthcare centers closed their external care due to lack of space, half of the medical personnel also became infected with SARS-Cov-2 and the deficit in bio-safety supplies and equipment.

‘More than 300 colleagues became ill and must be closed for a couple of days to do a high-level disinfection, in addition to replacing them with others, so more contracts are also needed,’ explained the leader.

According to Romero, the sentinel and reference hospitals are overcrowded by the large number of those infected, ‘but also the infection spreads to other health centers that were not intended to combat this disease.’

Among the closed centers is the capital Hospital del Tórax, which recessed until necessary bio-security conditions exist, after the confirmation of eight cases, seven doctors and a nurse who tested positive.

The Viedma, from Cochabamba, also stopped attending because at least 90 of its workers put themselves at risk by contacting positive patients who were treated in common rooms for initially giving negative tests.

The Bolivian Dutch, from El Alto, suspended outpatient consultations after confirming 36 infections among health personnel, while that of Clinics, from La Paz, reported that, due to ‘the increase in infected people’; ‘outpatient consultations’ were suspended.

The doctors from the capital Children’s Hospital stopped external consultations and reinforced the emergency area to ‘safeguard the safety’ of patients and health personnel.

According to other representatives of the health sector, despite the national alert, the de facto government enabled the sentinel and reference centers with a visible lack of equipment, supplies and personnel.