Building for A Healthy Habitat in Bolivia: Experience in Eradicating the Chagas Disease, 1993-2005

The chagas disease is a parasitic illness affecting the rural poor in the high Andes of Latin America. There are no known vaccines or medicines and it is one of Bolivia's most serious health problems. In 1993 Fundacion Pro Habitat (FPH) initiated an integrated eradication programme of community-based education, training and physical housing improvements. Twelve years later regions with high rates of the disease are now becoming fully free of the vector that causes it and almost 20,000 dwellings have been improved. The approach has legislative support through the National Healthy Housing Programme and is being replicated by other NGOs.