Our assignments at the medical menter lasted two and a half months. We were warmly welcomed by the local nurse Ana, and introduced to our tasks. We were pleasantly surprised by the clean structure and organization of the place, and the friendliness of the patients was overwhelming. With these words we would like to give thanks for the opportunity to have been part of this aid project and hope to be able to continue to contribute from home in the future. Enclosed we would like to briefly describe our work on site during this time.
Medical Tasks
In the medical area, in addition to the treatment of the patients, the development of an organizational concept for data collection had priority. Simple patient files were introduced, as well as a concept for taking medication for illiterate patients in the form of simple pictures. This should provide transparency into the patient's medical and treatment history and optimize the treatment process. In addition, odontograms were created for the field of dental medicine. As part of a collaboration with the school, the primary data of the school children were collected (height, weight, general data) as well as a profile of the current state of oral hygiene.
The basic structure of the existing outpatient clinics were optimized. The installation of a curtain bar for privacy, two mobile treatment trolleys to allow a clean workplace, drainage and lighting of the dental outpatient clinic were renewed, as well as the installation of shelves for increased storage space. Furthermore, emphasis was placed on the use of puncture-proof containers to guarantee a hygienic and, above all, safe working environment.
Of course, the working method differs from the European standards we are familiar with, not least because of the different materials used. However, the course of treatments and the observance of hygienic measures is exceptionally well designed and in no way endangers the well-being of the patients. The daily health education provided by the on-site nurse is exemplary. This mainly involves basic hygiene skills such as daily tooth brushing, intimate hygiene, nutrition and hand washing.
External Medical Work
The biggest project we were able to complete was the community greenhouse financed by "Con Corazón". Due to the fact that everything is volunteer work and sometimes more, less manpower was available, the completion stretched over the entire two and a half months. The work consisted of obtaining the necessary stones for the walls, digging a foundation, erecting the wall, building the basic structure with wooden poles and iron rods, as well as the manual production of earth bricks and finishing the roof with plastic sheeting. The greenhouse extends over 15x6 meters and will be gradually planted with herbaceous plants and vegetables over the next few months. The harvest will then be distributed to the patients, of course. There are also plans to build a small composting plant to improve the soil quality in the future.
The second challenge was the restoration of the fish farm. This is located on the grounds of the school and had to be thoroughly renovated. Among other things, pipes were replaced, the water inflow was ensured and the tanks were cleaned and re-plastered. The first fish are to be introduced in the near future. Near the Medical Center a smaller fish tank was built, which will be accessible for everyone in the future and hopefully can guarantee a more varied diet.
Lifetime Experience
The time for us on site was an extraordinarily great and huge life experience. Working with the people and helping directly on site will remain in our memories for a long time. It is impressive how the quality of life of the people can be improved with this project. Thank you for letting us have this experience.
Best regards
Petra & Moritz
September 2017