Ruptly
"Public hospitals and health centers in La Paz declared a state of emergency this Wednesday due to the growing shortages of medical oxygen, medicines, food and fuel caused by the road blockades that for more than two weeks have kept much of Bolivia paralyzed. Health authorities warned that the situation puts the care of critical patients at risk and could lead to deaths if humanitarian corridors are not enabled. "After nearly 15 days of systematic road blockades, the entire health system of the City of La Paz (...) is under a logistical siege that places us on the verge of total shortages and institutional collapse," reported Alfredo Mendoza, director of the Children's Hospital. The crisis comes amid protests against the government of President Rodrigo Paz, where unions, peasant organizations, miners and other social sectors are maintaining road blockades and demonstrations to demand responses to the economic crisis and the president's resignation. The blockades mainly affect access routes to La Paz and El Alto, making it difficult for essential supplies to enter. For his part, doctor Luis Larrea directly blamed the blockades for the deterioration of hospital conditions and warned about possible fatal consequences for patients. "Today we are saying it, we do not want tomorrow to come out with an announcement that some patient has died, we doctors will not be responsible for this blockade," he added. The emergency directly impacts patients who depend on permanent treatment and a continuous oxygen supply. "I still struggle a lot to breathe (...) especially to those carrying out the blockades, have a heart so that at least they allow medicines to pass through, please," expressed one of the patients, Elias Colque Huaywa. According to the Ministry of Health, at least four tons of oxygen failed to reach hospitals due to road blockades set up by demonstrators in different parts of the country. The political and economic crisis that triggered the protests and blockades by different sectors, such as agriculture and mining, in addition to support from followers of former president Evo Morales, is also affecting food supplies. As a result, La Paz, which concentrated most of the protests, faces shortages of products such as beef and chicken. Several establishments remain closed. The protests led to riots and looting, with one of the strongest episodes occurring this Monday. Demonstrators are demanding a solution to shortages and fuel quality, one of President Rodrigo Paz's main campaign promises, as well as the president's resignation. Paz, in turn, called on demonstrators this Wednesday to create a humanitarian corridor toward hospitals."
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