First virus vaccines arrive in Bolivia amid crisis

Authorities in Bolivia welcomed the arrival of 20,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine on Thursday, as health care workers protested current working conditions. Bolivian President Luis Arce oversaw the arrival of the plane carrying the first batch of the 5.2 million Russian vaccines purchased.

Doctors will be among the first who will receive two doses to get immunity to COVID-19. Bolivia has also bought 5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which were originally scheduled to be delivered on Monday. While Bolivia waits on the worldwide vaccine supplies, health workers protested, saying the government has not provided the minimum equipment and safe working conditions.

They demanded an increase of the public healthcare budget, personal protection equipment and better pay. Dr. Jose Luis Barrientos, protesting in the Hospital of Los Altos, said 28 professional health workers have died in Bolivia due to COVID-19 and one is currently in intensive care. Doctors blamed the poor conditions in which they have been working.