Getting a Yellow Fever Vaccination in La Paz

Summary:

This is how we got our free yellow fever vaccine in La Paz, Bolivia. Details and directions are provided at the end of this post.

* 1$=6.95 BoB “Bolivianos” (2012)

As a French citizen, entering Bolivia was piece of cake. I wasn’t asked for anything—neither a visa or a certificate of vaccination. Bassel, on the other hand (and because of his Syrian passport) was asked for a visa, which he obtained at the Bolivian embassy in Ottawa Canada. In order to get the visa, he had to bring a proof of his yellow fever vaccination (which he did).

The cheapest yellow fever vaccine in Toronto was $160 at that time (price as of June 2012).

At first we didn’t know exactly where we would go after La Paz, which is why we decided to wait for me to have the vaccine. Three days after we arrived in Bolivia, I decided to take the vaccine, as it would be easier to go places if we changed our plans and went to the forest. In general, I thought it was better to get the vaccine anyway! So we started to look for places where I could be vaccinated, and found three options. The first option, as per Lonely Planet’s, was the Centro Epidemiológico Departemental La Paz (Centro Pilote) at Vásquez and Perú, which was cheap but quite far from where we were staying.

So we went downtown and started to ask (mainly in pharmacies) where I could get a vaccination. After a few hours of investigation and walking, we eventually found a place (second option) just behind the Radisson Hotel. It is a yellow governmental building called Sedes La Paz on Capitán Ravelo Street. But as we arrived late, we were told to come back in the morning. After that, we walked a little bit more and found the Farmacia Gloria (third option), where they provide the vaccine (as we were told earlier) for 300 Bolivianos ($40, Nov 2012). So we decided to wait and return to the second option (Sedes La Paz).

The next day we took a cab to Sedes La Paz on Capitán Ravelo Street,and as soon as we arrived I bought a sterile needle from a pharmacy (just in case). I didn’t end up needing it. We went to the place, I filled out a form with my information, I had a photocopy of my passport and wasn’t asked for anything else. I had the vaccine, the nurse gave me a Bolivian certificate (which took two minutes) and I was done.

The vaccine is for free.

Then she gave me the address of the place where I could get aYellow Fever International Certificate for 60 Bolivianos ($8.69 in Nov 2012) if I had to travel in other countries (which I did, as we are planning to go to Ecuador).

We took another cab to Plaza España, where there is an office of Gobierno Departamental Autónomo de La Paz (not very far—taxi for 8 Bolivianos in Nov 2012). There I got the international certificate, which took us 15 minutes.

So the whole operation was done in 20 minutes, and I got myfree yellow fever vaccine.

Conclusion: If you don’t have to get the vaccine before you travel, it’s much cheaper to do it upon arrival, and it’s really not complicated, as you don’t have to walk all over La Paz. Just go next to the Radisson Hotel!

Free Yellow Fever Vaccine in Steps:

• Original Identification (passport preferred)
• Copy of your passport
• Go to Sedes La Paz on Capitán Ravelo Street behind Radisson Hotel
• You will fill out and sign a form (it will handed to you) with your information
• Take the vaccine
• Get your Carnet de Vacunación

If you need an International Certificate:

• Follow the previous steps
• Go to Plaza España (at Sedes La Paz they will give you directions)
• Find Gobierno Departamental Autónomo de La Paz
• Pay 60 Bolivianos and get your International Certificate

Sedes La Paz

http://www.sedeslapaz.gob.bo
+591 22440954
Capitán Ravelo 2180, La Paz
Bolivia

Questions?