Health plans to perform seven bone marrow transplants on children with cancer this year

 According to estimates by Bolivian specialists, out of 100 children who could suffer from leukemia in the country, only five require or are candidates for transplants.

Seven bone marrow transplants are scheduled for this 2022 for the benefit of children suffering from cancer, announced Wednesday the Minister of Health, Jeyson Auza.

"On December 24, a bone marrow transplant treatment was performed on a 3-year-old boy, which was successful. We have three in the pipeline and we plan to perform seven hematopoietic progenitor transplants (bone marrow) for this year," announced the authority.

According to calculations made by Bolivian specialists, out of 100 children who could suffer from leukemia in the country, only five require or are candidates for transplants, which is why we will start with that number "in relation to autologous transplants".

Auza remarked that about Bs 39 million have been invested in infrastructure, equipment and highly qualified personnel.

"Our children will no longer have to travel abroad and they will not have to invest those 80 to 100,000 dollars, the treatment will be completely free for them", he added.

He emphasized that this is the beginning of a long way to go in order to solve the great problem of the advance of cancer in the country, which is why this service is now available free of charge for the entire population. 

Bone marrow transplant or Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Transplant (HPCT) is a widely accepted procedure for the treatment of congenital and acquired bone marrow diseases, solid tumors and metabolic alterations.

Covid-19 cases decrease in seven regions

 The Ministry of Health reported this Monday that in the third epidemiological week of 2022 (January 16 to 22), 61,158 cases of Covid-19 were registered nationwide, constituting a reduction of -21% compared to the previous period.

There are seven departments that show a reduction, while La Paz and Pando reported an increase.

"For this week we report a 21% decrease in cases, meaning 16,080 fewer cases compared to the previous week where we reported 77,238 cases and for this week 61,158, it is the first week after 16 consecutive weeks of an increase," said the official. Minister Jeyson Auza.

The report establishes that Santa Cruz had a reduction of -45% cases in the week; Beni -28%; Cochabamba -7%, Chuquisaca -28%, Tarija -27%, Oruro -17%; Potosi -5%; while Pando rose 63% and La Paz 7%.

Auza indicated that it is the second consecutive week that cases have decreased in Santa Cruz and that, if this trend continues for another week, one could speak of a de-escalation in that region.

He called on the population to maintain biosecurity measures and vaccination, but if they are neglected, the possibility of a fifth wave is not ruled out.