Healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and nutritionists, marched through downtown La Paz on Thursday to demand a “humanitarian pause” in the ongoing protests against the government of President Rodrigo Paz. According to cnnchile.com, the protesters, known as the “white aprons,” marched from the Hospital de Clínicas to the Ministry of Health to highlight the critical shortages of food and medicine caused by 23 days of road blockades.
Demonstrators carried signs and chanted slogans for “oxygen and food for patients” and “respect for health and life.” The protest follows a sustained “siege” of La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto, where demonstrators have halted the transport of essential goods and fuel.
“We are suffering from the shortage of food, oxygen, and medications. What we need is for those who are blocking [the roads] to understand that a very strong lockdown has been generated,” said Luis Larrea, president of the La Paz Medical College, as reported by the outlet.
Larrea warned that the situation is becoming increasingly dire for the most vulnerable patients. He noted that trucks carrying medical oxygen are currently unable to leave the city to refill supplies, creating a risk that “any tragedy can happen” for those in critical condition.
Hospitals struggle to maintain care
To cope with the isolation, some hospitals have begun rationing resources. According to the source, medical centers have started sharing oxygen supplies, cutting back on animal protein in patient meals, and suspending all but emergency surgeries.
The Ministry of Health warned on Wednesday that the food scarcity could worsen the clinical status of vulnerable patients and compromise the recovery of those already hospitalized. Data from the ministry indicates that 19 hospitals in La Paz and El Alto, which serve roughly 1,000 patients daily, are currently affected. Additionally, 15 centers housing vulnerable populations are also feeling the impact of the supply chain collapse.
While agrarian and labor organizations responsible for the blockades promised over the weekend to allow ambulances and oxygen trucks to pass, cnnchile.com reported that these instructions have not been fully honored.
The protests, which began on May 6 in the La Paz department, are led by highland peasant unions, the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), and supporters of former President Evo Morales. The protesters are demanding the resignation of President Paz. According to the state-run ABC (Bolivian Highway Administration), there are currently approximately 70 blockade points across six of the country’s nine regions.
