Coronavirus Reaches Bolivia: Trip Postponed
Dear Friends,
Peace be with you in these days of uncertainty. Today more than ever, we recognize that we are one human family interconnected across geographic borders. We are renewed in the belief that we must eliminate boundaries around our healthcare and prioritize the needs of those who are most vulnerable.
A newspaper from Santa Cruz, the headline reads, “Bolivia suspends classes, flights and events to stop the coronavirus”
With deep sadness I share that, on March 10, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Solidarity Bridge made the difficult decision to suspend the Oncological Surgery Mission Trip scheduled to depart today. The decision followed rigorous discussions between our staff and Board of Directors, our counterparts at Puente de Solidaridad, and our team of fifteen missioners based in hospitals throughout the US.
While this decision not to travel appears more prudent and inevitable with each passing day, it was an extremely difficult choice to make. We know that 25 patients were hoping to undergo surgeries that would change their lives and restore their health. The US mission team also planned to carry more than $200,000 in critical medical supplies which would be used to support these and additional patients awaiting surgery in our four year-round programs.
Within 12 hours of this decision, Bolivia announced its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Now is a time for deep solidarity and fraternity among our global family.
Bolivian medical professionals are raising the alarm on shortages of basic training and materials to avoid the spread of the virus even within their own hospitals. The healthcare system was already coping with a recent outbreak of dengue fever—a mosquito-borne tropical disease endemic in the country. The confirmation of COVID-19 cases in multiple cities will only exacerbate this problem. And we know that it is those most vulnerable who will suffer the harshest consequences.
Our patients from this postponed mission trip are well cared for by their local doctors. Our partnership model ensures continuity of care. While this brings us comfort, we are still heartbroken that we cannot be there to assist in these complex cancer treatments. Our US missioners remain in contact with their Bolivian partners, and will offer remote consultation to their counterparts. We are hopeful that surgical treatment for each patient will move forward. But these patients will need additional financial support to make their operations possible. Without the 1,500 pounds of highly specialized instruments, medications, and other materials we planned to deliver, patients will need to purchase these supplies instead.
Equipment donations are a crucial way in which we increase access to safe and affordable surgery and other essential health care. During this disruption in our typical activities, we are exploring all alternatives to continue serving patients in our four year-round programs. We will be sending a shipping container with more than 18,000 pounds of basic hospital supplies on April 1. This project has been underway for some months, but since the announcement of two Bolivian COVID-19 cases this week, we began including additional supplies related to the pandemic in this shipment.
Our partners, and the patients they serve, need our solidarity now more than ever. As the situation progresses we will endeavor to keep you connected to the reality in Bolivia. In the meantime, please join us in praying for all those experiencing fear and anxiety, and especially those—both here in the US and in Bolivia—who feel most vulnerable to this illness.
Yours in Mission,
Ann Rhomberg
Executive Director