MEXICO: Community Health Project
Mexico: Community Health
Doctors of the World – USA (DOW) began working with the Hospital San Carlos (HSC) in Altamirano, Chiapas following the Zapatista uprising in 1994, which led to the flight of most of the hospital’s Mexican national staff and left over 900 indigenous communities with reduced access to health care. Due to the political crisis in the region, these communities do not seek health services at government facilities and HSC is their only source of medical care. Major health problems of the indigenous communities served by HSC include high maternal mortality, malnutrition, tuberculosis, as well as others.
Filling gaps in medical care
Mexican health professionals continue to be reluctant to work in isolated areas of Chiapas, and staffing of the hospital has never recovered. To help maintain and improve the capacity of Hospital San Carlos, DOW deploys physician volunteers several times a year. These volunteers provide essential pediatric and general health care.
Responding to community needs
To address the acute shortage of indigenous nursing staff in Chiapas, DOW and the Hospital San Carlos created an ambitious program to train indigenous women to become nurse auxiliaries. The nurse auxiliaries, who speak Spanish and local indigenous languages, provide a vital link between indigenous patients and hospital staff. From 2001 to 2006, DOW also worked in the communities around Altamirano to address root causes of nutrition problems and to enable communities to better promote their own health through improved food security knowledge and skills.
Building local capacity
In addition to providing direct medical care, DOW physician volunteers also train existing doctors, nurses, medical students, and other health workers in providing up-to-date pediatric, obstetric, and prenatal care. To address malnutrition, DOW strengthened the capacity of indigenous communities to address food shortages by training promotores or community workers in sustainable agriculture techniques, crop selection, and planning for food security. By expanding local people’s skills and capacity, DOW also contributes to community self-sufficiency and long-term prospects.
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OTHER PROJECTS IN MEXICO:
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OTHER PROJECTS IN MEXICO: