A Milestone in Community Health: Pro Mujer Surpasses 100,000 Health Checkups in Bolivia

A Milestone in Community Health: Pro Mujer Surpasses 100,000 Health Checkups in Bolivia

In Bolivia, access to health services continues to be a significant challenge, especially in rural and peri-urban communities. With a life expectancy of only 72 years for women, Bolivia ranks as one of the countries with the lowest number of health opportunities for this group (U.N.). The low healthcare worker density, with only 1.03 professionals per 1,000 inhabitants (OECD/World Bank), further aggravates this situation.

Facing these challenges, Pro Mujer has taken an active and decisive role in improving the living conditions of Bolivian women. Since 2021, the community health promoter program has trained over 380 womenleaders in their communities to provide basic care and preventive health education in rural areas where access to these services is scarce. In 2024, it reached a significant milestone on surpassing 100,000 health checkupsin the country.

Health promoters, who work voluntarily, were fundamental in providing vital health services to communities that would otherwise be excluded from the conventional healthcare system. In 2023, the program expanded to Cochabamba, establishing a presence in six Bolivian departments, as it provided:

• >+27,600counseling services
• >+36,700health checkups

The program has proven to be successful in strengthening the health of Bolivian women, transforming their realities so that they may reach their full potential. With the support of IDB Lab, in 2024, Pro Mujer will replicate the community health promoter program in Guatemala, with the hope of positively impacting the well-being of women in the region.

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