Overview

The Bolivian Constitution guarantees public access to medicines and prioritizes domestic production of generic drugs.  Each geographic department in Bolivia is responsible for its own procurement.  Departments often buy large quantities of equipment and supplies at once and often favor U.S. products.  Departmental governments now have a lower budget for health programs since the Bolivian Government ended the COVID-19 emergency in July 2023, which limited access to emergency funding.  Bolivia permits the importation of medical devices and pharmaceuticals.  There is no significant local production of medical devices and products, meaning importation of those products remains necessary.  Bolivia produces a limited number of pharmaceutical products, mainly for domestic consumption.  U.S. firms should note that Bolivia does not have a law prohibiting brand infringement or other forms of copycat registration of pharmaceutical products.  Consequently, firms may experience difficulties protecting their intellectual property rights and should not expect chemical information to remain confidential (see additional information on intellectual property protection in the “Protection of Property Rights” section).  Non-communicable diseases are a threat to Bolivian health.

*Bolivian government does not provide estimates.

(Total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports) Units: USD
Source: National Statistics Bureau (INE)

Leading Sub-Sectors

Pharmaceutical products, lab supplies, and medical devices are leading sub-sectors.  There is an increasing demand for hemodialysis equipment, breast cancer scanners and equipment, and equipment to detect and treat cervical cancer.  Bolivia officially declared the end of the COVID-19 emergency, so there may be less demand for ventilators, oxygen therapy equipment, and other related medical supplies and equipment.

Opportunities

The health budget increased from $3.21 billion in 2022 to $3.54 billion in 2023.  The health budget prioritizes construction projects, equipment, and improvement of its facilities, including medical posts and hospitals.  The budget also allocates resources for the Universal Health System (SUS) and the implementation of programs for pandemic care.  The government has designated $333 million to the Ministry of Health and to the Health Infrastructure and Medical Equipment Agency (AISEM) for national investment projects, including the construction of, and improvements to, level 1-4 hospitals.  Tenders for medical equipment and devices can be found on the AISEM website, as well as on the State Contracts System (SICOES) website. 

Resources

Bolivian guide to register medical devices https://www.agemed.gob.bo/reg-far/doc_reg_far/T-N-11-RM-0909-RSANITARIO.pdf  (In Spanish)

Health Ministry https://www.minsalud.gob.bo

National Statistics Bureau (INE) https://www.ine.gob.bo/

Health Infrastructure and Medical Equipment Agency (AISEM) https://aisem.gob.bo/

State Contracts System (SICOES) https://www.sicoes.gob.bo/portal/index.php

Cámara Nacional de Comercio https://www.cnc.bo/

Agencia Estatal de Medicamentos y Tecnologías en Salud (AGEMED) https://www.agemed.gob.bo/