U.S. Government Makes Significant Donation to PROSALUD

March 3, 2008

The U.S. Government delivered today a donation of 195 computers to PROSALUD for the implementation of a new administrative and medical computer-based record system.

The donated computers, estimated at an overall cost of $367,000, will be used to support the organization’s effort to develop, grow, and provide better healthcare services. The new system will promote higher effectiveness in PROSALUD.

“However,” said USAID/Bolivia’s director Michael Yates during the delivery ceremony, “the most important thing is the benefit that this new computer network will provide to PROSALUD users. For the first time patients will be able to go to any PROSALUD health provider throughout the country and access their medical records in order to receive quality medical treatment wherever they are located. USAID’s support to PROSALUD is carried out in complete synchrony with the National Development Plan of the Bolivian Government and in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the local communities. This donation is another step towards attaining PROSALUD’s sustainability.”

PROSALUD is a Bolivian non-governmental organization created with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1985. USAID’s assistance since 1985 has been estimated at approximately $24 million. PROSALUD is working to become fully self-sustainable after USAID’s support concludes in 2009.

The Government of the United States has a long-standing commitment with the health of Bolivians and supports the development of Bolivian healthcare organizations, such as PROSALUD, which provide services to low-income families.