Nuclear medicine specialists and experts from five Ibero-American nations—Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia—met on July 10 in La Paz, Bolivia for the “First International Conference of Nuclear Medicine,” jointly sponsored by the Bolivian Nuclear Energy Agency (ABEN) and the Plurinational School of Public Management (EGPP), Xinhua reported the same day. Bolivia has made extraordinary advances in this area, with a national network of three nuclear medicine centers, in La Paz, El Alto and Santa Cruz, jointly built by ABEN and Argentina’s renown INVAP high-tech company. All are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, highly trained personnel and their services are completely free. Hydrocarbons and Energy Minister Alejandro Gallardo told the conference that “what was once a luxury reserved for only a few is today a right guaranteed for all.”
According to Xinhua, he underscored the “historic moment” Bolivia is living through “in the transformation of its healthcare system.” The conference was organized as part of Bolivia’s celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of its liberation from Spain on Aug. 6, highlighting its progress toward achieving scientific sovereignty. ABEN’s director Hortensia Jimenez told the attendees that “today, we not only celebrate two centuries of fight against colonialism and social inequalities, but we take a step forward toward a second and definitive independence: the scientific and technological liberation of our nation.”
Jimenez underscored that “nuclear medicine is not a privilege, but the people’s right. The fight against cancer and chronic diseases is not only a medical challenge, but also a political and social challenge.” The conference’s goal was to present information on some of the recent breakthroughs in the use of radio-pharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes with a special emphasis on care and follow-up of cancer, cardiology and neurology patients. Eight experts in nuclear medicine attended from the participating countries and gave presentations on their experiences in the field while Bolivian doctors who work in the network of nuclear medicine and radio-therapy centers shared their experiences. Other scientists, researchers and students also attended.
