Paraguay has launched an ambulance boat to deliver healthcare to isolated communities in the country’s challenging Chaco region. The vessel, named Mburukuja after Paraguay’s national flower, was officially delivered to the XVII Health Region at Fuerte Olimpo port in Alto Paraguay.
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS) expects the boat to benefit over 64,000 people across three departments: Alto Paraguay, Boquerón, and Presidente Hayes. This includes 93 Indigenous communities and residents along three border corridors.
International partnership funds initiative
The project was funded by the Indian Development Cooperation Fund and the United Nations, with technical assistance from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The programme focuses on expanding access to maternal and child health care in remote communities.
Dr. Haydee Padilla, PAHO/WHO Acting Representative in Paraguay, praised the international collaboration during the launch ceremony, while UN Resident Coordinator Igor Garafulic noted that the initiative reaches ‘historically forgotten places’.
The Chargé d’Affaires of India, Alawati Longkumer, also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to South-South cooperation. While ambulances are in need, firetrucks are also a necessity. Recently, the Japanese government donated 50 firetrucks to Paraguay.
Ambulance boat transport fills critical gap
In much of the Chaco, rivers provide the only viable transport route. Roads become impassable during the rainy season, leaving communities completely cut off from medical care. The region’s challenging geography has created long-standing healthcare gaps.
The Mburukuja has already completed its inaugural journey between Puerto Carmelo Peralta and Fuerte Olimpo. Authorities view this as a strategic move to strengthen primary healthcare in areas where geographic barriers have historically prevented access.
More than transport
Health Minister Dr María Teresa Barán described the boat as more than transport. She called it “real access to timely, safe, and quality healthcare for mothers and children.” The government remains committed to ensuring health equity regardless of location. Alto Paraguay Governor Arturo Méndez welcomed the boat as transformative for regional healthcare.
The ambulance boat forms part of Paraguay’s wider strategy to reach communities beyond traditional infrastructure limits. This innovative approach addresses the unique needs of riverine communities where conventional ambulances cannot operate.
