Medical Needs
In Bolivia, the poor have few rights and privileges. The poor are often too far from hospitals, and even if they could get to a hospital, they would be refused treatment.
Quality medical care is either lacking or non-existent in many regions. Our mission is to go into areas which don't have access to medical treatment.
Nationwide, there is a high infant mortality rate (56 deaths / 1,000 live births) which is 8 times the U.S. rate. The life expectancy is only 65 years old, but inland things are much worse:
- Life expectancy: 40 years
- Mortality rate of children under 5 years: 36%
- 40% of deaths of children under 1 year due to infectious-contagious diseases (most could be prevented or treated)
- Many children are born without any medical supervision which increases the infant and maternal death rates
- Severe malnutrition rate of children under 5 years: 51%
- Sanitary conditions: poor (no sewage or running water, the drinking water is not potable)
- Average annual income per campesino (farmer): $80
- Over three million campesinos don't meet 70% of their basic nutritional needs
