The projects benefit indigenous and peasant communities neighboring TotalEnergies’s operation sites.
In compliance with an agreement signed on May 14, 2020 in Caraparicito, TotalEnergies EP Bolivie, the Bolivian national oil company YPFB and the Municipal Government of Lagunillas are coordinating short-term projects to support the municipality and its indigenous and peasant communities to face the COVID-19 sanitary emergency.
These short-term projects have the following main lines of action: prevention and mitigation.
Prevention actions
Since the beginning of the health emergency, TotalEnergies provided, in alliance with the NGO World Vision Bolivia, biosafety medical packages to health centers of the Guarani Indigenous Territory of Alto Parapetí, and to the "San Luis" Municipal Hospital of Lagunillas, as well as support given to other communities.
In this line of action, two social short-term projects are being executed between TotalEnergies, the Guarani Indigenous Territory of Alto Parapeti’s authorities and Caraparicito leaders:
• Educational campaign:
Approximately 150 families from different communities received the campaign’s teams who imparted training in hand washing, explained the importance of social distancing and other measures recommended for COVID-19 prevention. The demonstrations were supported with medical supplies and educational materials.
This educational campaign was developed by a work group formed by Caraparicito leaders and TCO Alto Parapetí’s authorities.
The families highlighted the doctor´s personalized explanations, emphasizing that it is not the same to hear or read about prevention measures in the media, as to listen directly to a medical professional.
• Cloth face mask manufacture:
Community women from Iviyeca and Tasete are manufacturing reusable cloth face masks. With FUNDESOC’s support and TotalEnergies’ funding, material has been provided and practical sessions held.
To date, a total of 1000 units of reusable cloth face masks, have been manufactured by Iviyeca and Tasete’s artisans. The project will conclude ending October 2020, fulfilling the total objective of the project: 2000 units.
The first masks have been distributed to Iviyeca and Tasete families and to authorities of the Guarani Indigenous territory of Alto Parapetí so they deliver them to their communities.
Mitigation actions
The Lagunillas health network has only the primary level of health care; the "San Luis" Municipal Hospital is the head of this municipality’s health care system. Both the municipal hospital and the communal health centers are lacking in infrastructure, personnel, equipment, and supplies.
This axis seeks to strengthen the response capacity of Lagunillas’ health network to face COVID-19 with the following actions.
• Lagunillas’ "San Luis" hospital infrastructure and equipment strengthening:
Infrastructure improvements at the Lagunillas hospital, carried out through Bolivian Foundation for Social Development (FUNDESOC), were made to walls, roofs, false ceilings, interior and exterior painting, floors and ceramic coverings, as well as to the electrical system and the hydro-sanitary system in several sectors such as bathrooms, kitchen and some rooms.
The improvements made contribute to optimize the installed medical capacity and response by this medical center to possible cases or positive COVID-19 cases. The optimization of the existing infrastructure, as well as the provision of the necessary equipment for medical care, is making it possible to give immediate support to the families of Caraparicito, Iviyeca, Tasete, Yapumbia, Yaiti and Buena Vista belonging to the Guarani Indigenous territory of Alto Parapetí, as well as to the Iupagusu community and to peasant communities belonging to the municipal jurisdiction of Lagunillas.
• Caraparicito’s community health center infrastructure and equipment strengthening:
TotalEnergies is delivering infrastructure improvements in coordination with the health authorities of the municipality.
The improvements in the Caraparicito community health center, executed through FUNDESOC, were focused on conditioning three existing rooms - Caraparicito’s counterpart- that will be used for the isolation and care of asymptomatic patients or with mild COVID-19 symptoms. Improvements to the roof, gutters, downpipes, subfloor, ceramic floor and ceramic coating and installation of a bathroom that was in coarse construction, are some of the works that were carried out. Likewise, medical equipment was provided to support immediate health care to Caraparicito’s families.
The Caraparicito community will be responsible for the maintenance of the improved infrastructure and for the medical attention in coordination with the respective health authorities. They will also contribute with the room´s equipping with mattresses and medical staff.
• Aguada Grande’s community health center electrical system and equipment strengthening:
The Aguada Grande health center was identified by the municipal health network as a center to be strengthened, since it provides medical attention to approximately 600 inhabitants of the surrounding communities.
For the proper functioning of the community health center, social investment funds were invested to improve the electrical system, in addition to providing medical supplies.
The improvements to existing healthcare infrastructure, as well as the provision of the necessary equipment, contributes to the optimization of the installed medical capacity and to the timely response to possible positive cases of COVID-19. Families from the guarani communities will benefit from this medical service.
As part of its social commitment, Total is in permanent dialogue and continually giving support to the Municipality of Lagunillas, the Guarani indigenous organizations and the communities neighboring the operation sites.
Health and safety: fundamental values that guide TotalEnergies' actions
TotalEnergies EP Bolivie, as Azero, Ipati and Aquio blocks’s Operator, within the framework of contracts signed with YPFB, the bolivian national oil company, has implemented protocols, contingency plans and agreements to avoid COVID-19 infections and thus protect the health and safety of those who work in the operating sites and the communities neighboring the industrial facilities.
For each change of personnel entering the operated sites, a protocol, agreed between YPFB, the Municipal Government of Lagunillas, neighboring communities and health authorities of the Cordillera Province, is being applied.