MSI Bolivia delivers 46% of all female sterilisations in the country

Marie Stopes International´s programme in Bolivia is the largest provider of permanent contraceptive methods in the country. Last year, it provided 1,804 tubal ligations (TL) (female sterilisations) through its centres and mobile units network. This number represent 46% of all tubal ligations provided in both public and private sectors in Bolivia.

In Latin America generally, Bolivia has the lowest rate of TL services with a prevelance rate of just 6.5%. In other countries in the region the prevelance rate is higher, for example, in Brasil it is 42.7%, El Salvador (32.4%), Colombia (26.4%) and Ecuador (22.5%). Based in Ministry of Health statistics, MSI Bolivia estimate that around 200,000 women would like to use this method and they are just waiting for the opportunity to do so.

“We have a challenge in Bolivia: meet the unmet needs of permanent family planning, especially in poor rural areas, where many women have more than 5 children and would like to use this method but they can´t due to the long distances they live from services and discrimination”, said Ramiro Claure, MSI Bolivia´s Country Director.

During 2007, MSI Bolivia increased the TL services it provided by 128%, working in just three of Bolivia's the nine regions. In 2008, the programme is aiming to serve more than 5,000 women with this permanent method of contraception, most of whom (76%) live in rural areas of six of the nine regions.

For further information contact:
Ramón Torre Cañal, Resource Development Manager, MSI Bolivia.
ramon.torre@mariestopes.org.bo

Categories: Bolivia; Latin America; Contraception; Family planning; Female sterilisation

04/03/2008

MSI Bolivia delivers 46% of all female sterilisations in the country

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