Covid-19: Doctors in Bolivia declare “emergency” for lack of conditions to face pandemic 4th wave

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Medical Council of the Bolivian Medical Association declared a state of emergency on Thursday (4) due to a lack of conditions to face the fourth wave of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and the “imposition of State policies”. They give the government until Sunday to meet their demands.

The president of the Bolivian Medical Association, Luis Larrea, warned that he has reports that the different health centers have enough supplies to treat patients for only one more week, at the rate of increase of Covid-19 cases.

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“The Government can no longer take measures in relation to the pandemic because it lifted all restrictions. That is why the Bolivian Medical College declares itself in a state of emergency and if we are not summoned until this Sunday to dialogue and talk about improvements in the health system, we will take pressure measures without stopping attending our patients,” warned Larrea.

Through a resolution vote, the Medical Council “rejected the improvised and unsustainable health policies, imposed in an irresponsible manner that put at risk the health and life of health personnel, an aspect that has repercussions on the health security of the Bolivian people, due to the lack of human resources, supplies and infrastructure.”

The country’s physicians also rejected Law 1386 of the National Strategy to Combat the Legitimization of Illicit Gains and the Financing of Terrorism and Law 342 of economic development, because one violates the constitutional rights and guarantees of the citizens and the other puts autonomy at risk.

In the resolution voted by the doctors, the sector has come to “assume the decision to declare ourselves in State of Emergency, in view of the arbitrary, dictatorial attitude and imposition of deficient State Policies; we also communicate the decision to adhere to the determinations assumed by the organized population in use of our rights and obligations, respecting the essence that characterizes us, as an institution defending democracy and respecting the rights and guarantees conferred in the Political Constitution of the State.”

They regretted that the contents of both legal norms have not been socialized before their respective approval with the different professional associations, universities, mayors’ offices and governors’ offices, but, on the contrary, only with sectors related to MAS.