Bolivia

MAIN HEALTH RISKS

• Malaria affects rural areas below 2,500 meters all year long, the north of Bolivia (in particular the districts of Beni and Pando), and the district of Santa Cruz. Amazonia is classified as level-3 resistance (high resistance to chloroquine); the rest of the country as level-1 (no resistance to chloroquine).
• Dengue fever affects the Amazonian districts, whereas the districts of the Altiplano (La Paz, Oruro, Potosi and Tarija) are safe.
• Cholera is endemic in the area of La Paz.
• The Chagas disease is frequent within intermediate valleys (between 500 and 3,000 meters), especially in the disctricts of Cochacamba, Chuquisaca, Tarija and Santa Cruz.
• The cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis may be developed in tropical wet areas (Beni, Alto Beni, Yungas, Pando and Chapare).
• Arrival in La Paz may cause medical diseases because of the altitude (La Paz is located between 3,300 and 3,800 meters, the international airport of El Alto at 4,100 meters). Physical efforts are to be avoided during the first days, and it is recommended to drink mineral still water very regularly in order to prevent dehydratation.
• There are cases of animal rabies in the country.
• Diarrheic diseases are common.

FOOD SAFETY

• Gastric diseases are common among tourists who are not accustomed to local food or who do not take precautions.
• Do not drink tap water and favor bottled mineral water, without ice ; avoid eating ice cream and sherbet.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked dishes, especially meat or fish. If possible, order hot dishes.
• Bring anti-diarrhea medication with you.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before each meal.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND MEDICATION

• Travellers entering the country from an endemic area are required to present a certificate of immunization against yellow fever.
Systematically:
• Yellow fever: available for children at least 6 months old.
• Hepatitis A: the vaccination is available for children at least one year old. For persons who were born before 1945, who have spent their childhood in a developing country or who have had an icterus, it may prove useful to search previously for serous antibodies in order to avoid an unnecessary shot.
• Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children at least two months old.
• Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.



Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
• Typhoid fever: if the stay is occurring in precarious hygiene condition. The immunization is available for children at least 2 years old.
• Rabies: recommended for long stays in isolation. The immunization should be given to children as soon as they are able to walk.
• Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay, it is recommended to have children immunized against tuberculosis as soon as they reach the age of one month, and against mumps, measles and rubella when they reach the age of nine months.
• Recommended chemoprophylaxis against malaria: mefloquine (commercial name: Lariam) or doxycycline (commercial name: Doxypalu) within Amazonian areas; chloroquine (commercial name: Nivaquine) in the rest of the country.

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES

La Paz
• Centro Medico CEMES, Av 6 de Agosto 2881, Esquina Clavijo: phone + 591 2 24 30 380, fax + 591 2 24 31 793
• Clinica Alemana, Av 6 de Agosto 2821: phone + 591 2 24 32 155, fax + 591 2 24 33 023
• Clinica Boston, Av Jaime Freyre esq Ricardo: phone + 591 2 422 342



Santa Cruz
• Clinica Angel Foianini, Av Irala 468 esq Chuquisaca: phone + 591 3 362 211, fax + 591 3 365 577
• Prosalud Clinic, Av Isabel la Catolica 810, P.O. Box 1231: phone + 591 3 533 820 or + 591 3 525 031, fax + 591 3 526 823



Sucre
• Clinica Sucre, Av Venezuela 1001: phone + 591 46 21535



Cochabamba
• Centro Medico Quirurgico Boliviano Belga, Calle Antezana Nro 455: phone + 591 44 22 9407, fax + 591 44 11 7215

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

• Firemen: 118
• Police: 110
• Ambulances: 118

CLIMATE

• The climate is tropical.
• The dry season lasts from May to October; temperatures often remain low during the months of June and July.
• The rainy season lasts from November to March, with heavy and smudgy heat and a high rate of humidity.
• When to go: between May and October.