Map curtsey of Lonely Planet
We continue to work in Bolivia each March. Our clinics are located within the Amanacer Orphanage system. Local dentists work in some of the clinics between visits from our dentists, so some care is provided throughout the year. A screening clinic is done the day before the actual dental clinic is run. During the screening, we identify and document patients with the most serious need. On clinic days there are many needs to be met in addition to the dental care. The children have to be identified and located, brought to the clinic, have their appointment purpose explained to them. Afterwards, they are given some amount of after-care to ensure that they do not injure themselves by biting Novocaine numbed tissue.
Most of our patients are children, but at times care is given to people who are in desperate and urgent need. Such a group of women were presented to us this year. These women make their living from foraging any re-usable items they can find from the dump. None had ever seen a dentist before, and they had no money to visit a clinic other than ours. The visit was quite an ordeal for them, because in addition to the stress of going to their first-ever dental appointment, they had to be talked into giving up their meager income for the day because of the appointment. We did our best to make this up to them with some clothing, food, dental supplies, and personal hygiene items.
In the orphanages, toothbrushes are hard to come by, and are actually kept locked up by the staff until needed daily. Basic personal hygiene items such as combs are bingo prizes to be won. These children really do not have anything that they take for granted.
There is a large number (20,000) of homeless children in Cochabamba. Word got out that a dental group was in the hotel. One evening, two little street children came into the lobby, very insistent on talking to the "dentistas." It turned out that they wanted two toothbrushes. These two little children had passed by an armed guard at the entrance of the hotel into an environment very foreign to them, approached adults inside the lobby that they had never met before and asked us very politely not for a toy or money, but for a healthcare item.
Immunizations
Altitude
Cochabamba is 8,304 feet above sea level. Some people experience less energy for a few days after arriving. Expect to do less physical labor than you are accustomed to. Eat lightly the first day, stay hydrated and rested. Aspirin with a cup of coca tea or Coca-Cola every 6 to 8 hours will help alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. Alcoholic beverages are twice as strong at this altitude, so use alcohol with caution.
Symptoms of altitude sickness include increased respiration and heart rate, headaches, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, minor gastric and intestinal upsets.
Customs and Donations
A request for duty-free passage of our donations must be obtained 5 weeks in advance of our arrival.
Prevention of Illness
Money, Travelers Checks and Credit Cards
What to pack for BoliviaElectricity:
Bolivia's electrical current is 220 volts and 50 cycles. Converters can be used for 110- volt personal care appliances. Some of the the bathrooms in the Hotel Diplomat rooms have a 110 volt outlet.
Additional information:
See Dentsems detailed Travel Tips document at:http://www.dentsem.com/docs/Tips.pdfThe Department of State provides information to assist travelers in better understanding foreign countries they may visit and the known risks that they should consider.
See the Consular Information Sheet for information about Bolivia
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1069.html
Useful items for yourself
Remember, Bolivia is very close to the equator and the sun is very intense, even on cloudy days.
Things the orphanage administration likes to receive for the kids