OUR HISTORY

In 1972, a medical project was prepared by Dr. Juan Pablo Barrenechea MD, together with Dr. Carlos Abecia MD, clinical biologist, microbiologist and also trained in cardiopulmonary bypass;  Dr. Cristina Soria MD, hematologist specially trained in blood bank management and Dr. Joaquin Navarro MD, pediatric and invasive cardiologist; all of them finishing their training in Louvain, Belgium. In this way, with a small economical support provided by an altruistic private group from Brussels, presided by Mr. Pierre Van der Mersch, the so-called Instituto Torácico y Cardiovascular was founded on July 16, 1973 in Cochabamba, at a section rented to the public Viedma Hospital. With an experienced general anesthesist from the city, but without ever having done an open heart surgery, and with the help of Dr. Charles Chalant, cardiac surgeon and Dr. René Kremer cardiologist, both our professors at Louvain, 10 open heart surgeries were performed in 15 days.

When the professors went back to Louvain, an adequate surgical program was started with 2 cardiac surgeries a week, aside from other closed heart, pulmonary and vascular surgeries.

As time went on, the results obtained and the care of the surgical patients, consolidated the Institution, many medical “firsts” were performed in Bolivia. But soon, it became obvious that the premises were too small and we were interested not only in expanding our thoracic and cardiovascular activities, but also in creating a good general hospital.

For that reasons, in 1978, our friends Mr. Pierre Van der Mersch, Dr. Ch. Chalant and Dr. R. Kremer, who visited us once a year for 10 days, obtained a financial support from the Belgian government and a new facility was purchased. Centro Médico Quirúrgico Boliviano Belga was founded, so called in tribute to that cooperation. The new premises were better and could be quite well adapted and equipped.

Later, land next to the original building was acquired for expansion and in 1991, using our own funds and a bank loan with the mortgage of the hospital; a modern new three-store facility was built.