Chagas Platform Increases its Presence in Bolivia

Chagas disease is one of the biggest public health problems in Bolivia in terms of both prevalence and impact. It is also a growing problem in non-endemic countries, such as Spain, due to increases in migratory flows in recent decades. The Platform for the Integral Care of Patients With Chagas Disease was created in 2009 to limit the spread of the disease and provide comprehensive patient care. The platform is already operating in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and in Catalonia, Spain.

The platform recently expanded its presence in Cochabamba with the opening of a new health care centre financed by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. With this new centre, CP Sacaba, which is located in Hospital Solomon Klein in Quintanilla, there are now six centres operating in Cochabamba, Tarija, and Chuquisaca. The inauguration took place on February 4 and was attended by key representatives from the Bolivian Ministry of Health, including Dr. Max Enríquez, head of the national Chagas disease programme, and members of the Autonomous Government of Sacaba and the Department of Health of Cochabamba. Also present were representatives from the organisations responsible for implementing the project: ISGlobal, the Bolivian NGO, CEADES, and the Barcelona-based Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica.

CP Sacaba will provide routine care, consisting of diagnosis, treatment, and vector control, to adult patients and offer ongoing education to users of the centre regarding basic aspects of Chagas disease as well as informative sessions for members of the local community in their native language.