Healthcare crises reported in Bolivia and Ecuador

Healthcare systems in Bolivia and Ecuador are facing significant strain, leading to overcrowding and shortages of essential medical supplies.

In La Paz, Bolivia, the Hospital de Clínicas is reportedly collapsed. Patients and their families are waiting in long lines in the streets, often exposed to low temperatures. Inside the facility, some patients are receiving treatment on mattresses on the floor, while others must wait standing up due to a lack of beds and chairs. Families have reported that the Universal Health Insurance (SUS) does not cover all necessary needs, forcing them to purchase medications at private pharmacies when public supplies are unavailable.

In Ecuador, patients with chronic kidney failure and families of those with catastrophic illnesses held a protest at the Azuay Governorate. They are demanding that the government settle outstanding payments to healthcare providers to ensure the continuity of life-saving treatments. Protesters highlighted a critical lack of medicines and supplies in public hospitals, warning that delays in dialysis and other treatments pose a direct threat to patient lives. They called on the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS) to fulfill their financial obligations.