Bolivia - Medical and Surgical Equipment and Orthopedic AppliancesBolivia - Medical Equipment

This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.

Last Published: 7/12/2019

Overview

The Bolivian government prioritizes citizen access to proper health services and medicines. Paragraphs I and II of Article 41 of the Bolivian Constitution stipulate that the state guarantee public access to medicines and prioritize generic drugs by promoting domestic production. In 2018, the Bolivian national assembly approved a universal health insurance system.

Bolivia does not produce medical equipment and products. The country produces a limited amount of pharmaceutical products, mainly for internal consumption. Since Bolivia’s production does not satisfy Bolivian demand for pharmaceuticals, and there is virtually no local production of medical devices, the import of those products is still required. Multiple companies exist whose sole function is to import medical equipment to Bolivia.

Bolivia allows the importation of medical devices and pharmaceutical products. All importers of such products must comply with the regular importation duties and taxes, as well as the proper registration process. To learn more about the importation process companies may review the Bolivian customs medical imports guide, the link is available below in the web resources section (in Spanish).

	2016	2017	2018	2019 estimated
Total Local Production	0	0	0	NA
Total Exports	0	0	0	NA
Total Imports	56,965,241	58,411,755	16,303,788	NA
Imports from the US	11,167,634	12,604,100	2,019,798	NA
Total Market Size	56,965,241	58,411,755	16,303,788	NA
Exchange Rates	6.86	6.86	6.86	NA

*The Bolivian government does not provide estimates.
(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Units: USD
Source: National Statistics Bureau (INE)

Leading Sub-Sectors

Multiple hospitals have approached the Embassy to express interest in buying U.S. medical equipment. To date, the Embassy has not facilitated any specific deals, but has encouraged U.S. companies to include Bolivia in their promotion efforts.

Since the national government transferred the responsibility to manage third tier hospitals (complete general hospitals with all specialties as opposed to first and second tier village and regional health centers) to departmental (i.e. state) governments in 2012, each department is responsible for its own procurement. Departments often buy large quantities of equipment and supplies at the same time and are often favorably disposed to U.S. products. Several departmental governments are in the process of investing substantial resources to their third tier hospitals that are long overdue for expansion and updates.

Non-communicable diseases are becoming the most important threat to Bolivian health. There is an increasing demand for hemodialysis equipment as well as breast cancer scanners and equipment to detect and the treatment of cervical cancer.

Opportunities

The Bolivian government is investing more than two billion dollars with the goal of building and equipping 49 new hospitals in the following three years. The Bolivan government also approved Supreme Decree 3631 authorizing the ministry of health to purchase directly the equipment for 13 of those new hospitals without the need for open tenders. The national government purchases its medical devices from several sources, including China.

Web Resources

Bolivian guide to register medical devices (In Spanish)
Healthcare Resource Guide: Bolivia
Health Ministry

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