Team Peru 2008

And off we go - this summer marks the ELEVENTH Team Peru Medical, Dental and Social Outreach to Peru. This team promises to be an amazing experience with a broad group of team participants, a diverse set of projects lined-up and an enormous amount of donated supplies. In fact, this year has been our best year yet for raising support (financial) and procuring supplies.

The main objectives for this outreach campaign are:
(1) To continue to support our in-country partner Union Biblica del Peru in their efforts to bring preventive medical, dental and social care services to impoverished children. Our work continues to focus on using screening methods to identify children who are most vulnerable to becoming abandoned. We work to connect families of need with social service advocates to prevent homelessness and family fracturing.

(2) We will be working in the Mission of Alto Cayma to bring support and assistance to the on-going community health care efforts of this Parish run program. Our campaign will help with the construction of a home for a medically fragile child, the delivery of health care services to isolated mountain communities, and we will be working with our Peruvian colleagues (nurses, physicians, dentists, and social workers) around "mini" educational forums and training symposiums.

(3) We will be continuing to work with Union Biblica to bring construction assistance to their "for profit" (i.e. money generating - the monies that are received from the rental of the property go directly into the various ministries of the agency) Camp Kawai in the costal Community of Mala. We will work on a few re-building projects as a result of the devastating earthquakes of 2007.

(4) Finally, in keeping with the organizational mission of HBI - we will be working to build bridges between our North American volunteers and our in-country partners. Our goal is to create "relationships" for change that will allow people from various walks of life to partner their resources and share their talents.

Look for updates from our 2008 Team Peru Outreach posted to this Blog Spot throughout the month of June.

Thank you for your continued support.

Economic Growth in Peru

World Bank: Economic growth helped reduce poverty in Peru

From the ANDINA News Agency - The sustainable economic growth of Peru brought greater investments, more employment and better incomes, which contributed to diminish poverty, not only in the urban areas but also in the rural ones, reported today the World Bank.

The regional director of the World Bank for Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, Felipe Jaramillo, said this growth is linked to the bigger investments of the last two or three years, the good economic management, a better access to foreign markets and some of Peru’s government programs.

“What we see is that there is a virtuous circle in the Peruvian economy, because is growing and it has started to create work, each time of a better quality and for the whole Peru”, he said.

The international representative also stressed on the study called “Poverty in Peru 2007”- whose results represent the sustainable economic growth of Peru during the last years.

“We think these estimates should not impress anyone since Peru has achieved a high suitable growth during the last years”, he said.

(Please note: This news story originally appeared in the "Living in Peru" News Archive on May 27, 2008)

2008 Alto Cayma Medical Conference

The First Annual Alto Cayma Medical Conference and Training Symposium

In keeping with the organizational mission to provide opportunities and programmatic responses for in-country organizations and individuals, Health Bridges International, Inc. developed and produced the “First Annual Alto Cayma Medical Conference and Training Symposium” in April of 2008.

The training, facilitated through a dedicated group of volunteer healthcare professionals from the United States and Peru, was a two-day intensive learning experience with both didactic and hands-on instruction. Over 30 invited participants enrolled in the various workshops and didactic lectures – with the highlight of the event being the informal networking conversations and exchanges that developed during the program breaks. Overwhelmingly conference participants rated their attendance at the event as a great success.

The main purpose of the conference was to unite young Peruvian medical and healthcare professionals who are enthusiastic and passionate about working with underserved communities. With eleven concurrent workshops, facilitated by speakers with recognized expertise in their professional disciplines and fields, the conference included a broad range of topics as diverse as - “Nursing Skills Updates” and “Diagnostic Ultrasound for the Primary Care Provider.” The symposium brought together energetic young professionals and top presenters to create an environment for learning and sharing. Post conference surveys demonstrated a significant learning impact on the participants – with a majority of attendees rating their knowledge and skills of the subject matters presented at the conference as vastly improved after their participation in the training.

Equally important to the mission of HBI is the creation of sustainable improvements in people’s health – this was facilitated by the conference through the creation of a training and learning symposium for Peruvian health care providers. HBI is dedicated to supporting and mentoring the next generation of “change agents” in communities and countries of need, the “First Annual Alto Cayma Medical Conference and Training Symposium” helped to bridge in-country providers with North American volunteers to create collegial exchanges and opportunities for mentoring, professional development and knowledge and skills acquisition. Overwhelmingly – the conference was a great success.

Post Conference Survey Question:
After Attending Conference - how would you rate your knowledge and skills?

Participant’s Response:
“The speakers were very good. They removed many doubts and provided themes and ideas that I can apply to my patients.”

Number of Participants = 43

Number of Workshops = 11

Number of Invited Speakers = 12

Updates from Peru

Two new updates from Peru: Times are changing in Peru, and nowhere is this more evident than in how the political system is handling many of the formidable challenges facing the country. Two brief wire service articles that first appeared on the website “Living in Peru” (see: http://www.livinginperu.com/) provide a very fitting example of such challenges and the governments responses.

Congress approves new divorce bill in Peru

(LIP-ir) -- In a plenary session of congress Thursday afternoon, congress approved a bill that is to make it easier for Peruvians to get a divorce.

With a 61 - 8 votes, a bill that will allow couples in Peru to get divorced at municipalities and notaries across the country was passed.

The project was presented in 2006 by Congresswoman Rosario Sasieta, who claimed the divorce process in the country was an extremely heavy and unnecessary burden on Peru's judicial system, stating that the whole system was put into action to handle one divorce.

She also explained that Peruvians had to pay a great deal of money for a divorce and that the process was too long.

With the recently approved bill, citizens that mutually agree to end their marriage will be able to do so through municipalities and notaries.

It was reported that this would only apply to couples that had already established the custody of their children and the distribution of property and possessions.

Many Peruvians applauded the effort and stated it would solve many couples' problems.

On the other hand, Monsignor Luis Bambarén affirmed that this was not a good decision and would only lead to more divorces and "quick fixes". He stated that more attention should be given to strengthening families.

There are currently 3.6 million divorce cases pending in Peru's court system.

Doctors end 21-day strike in Peru

(LIP-ir) -- Several hours after a 5-hour meeting with authorities from Peru's Ministry of Health, the Peruvian Doctors Association announced Tuesday afternoon that it was going to end its strike.

At a union branch in Lince, Dr. Julio Vargas, president of the Peruvian Doctors Association, accompanied by Health Minister, Dr. Hernan Garrido Lecca, announced that the union had agreed to end the strike, which began on January 8 with 13,000 doctors.

Peru's Ministry of Health held a meeting with representatives from the Peruvian Doctors Association from 8:30 a.m. Tuesday until approximately 2 p.m. After the meeting, Vargas stated he would take the Health Ministry's proposals to union leaders and decide if the strike would continue.

He added that the Doctors Association was always willing to negotiate with the Health Ministry to come to an understanding, stating that despite the strike, patients had been cared for.

Vargas pointed out that patients had not been transferred to other hospitals as a sign of good faith. Doctors had threatened to begin releasing patients if demands were not met. The government assured doctors that if these measures were taken they would be prosecuted.

According to Vargas, the union was requesting that health service in Peru be improved so patients in the country could be better assisted.

Requests also included a higher budget to establish an adequate system and work with human resources departments, which were unmotivated because of low salaries.

Vargas explained that there were 7,000 medical centers that did not have the necessary funds or equipment to provide a quality service to patients.

Building Bridges

(PICTURE: The Alto Cayma Medical Clinic, Arequipa, Peru, SA)
I am on my way to Arequipa to help with the organization of a historic event for both HBI and the Alto Cayma Medical Clinic. The purpose of this trip is to help organize and structure the "First Annual Alto Cayma Medical Conference and Training Symposium."

Father Alex and the Policlinico Maria Madre de la Misiones (the Alto Cayma Clinic) recently received two separate shipments of supplies from the United States. These supplies, medical equipment and durable goods, are a great compliment to the current infrastructure of the clinic. Some of the new equipment - two diagnostic ultrasound machines, a flexible sigmoidoscopy and endocosopy unit, and a 12-lead EKG unit – is above and beyond the current skills of the clinic staff.

HBI will help the Policlinico Maria Madre de la Misiones to organize and implement a small health care training conference for the providers working in the clinic. The training, facilitated through volunteer medical professionals from the United States who have expertise in the subject matter they will be presenting, will be a two-day intensive experience with both didactic and hands-on training. A select group of providers have been identified and have indicated their interest and availability in participating in the conference.

Equally important to the Policlinico Maria Madre de la Misiones is the identification and recruitment of Peruvian medical specialists to volunteer in the clinic. More and more patients are being seen in the clinic that requires specialty consultations and examinations. In order to more efficiently deliver specialty care – the clinic needs to attract a pool of volunteers that can donate their time weekly or monthly to provide specialty consultations. Essentially the clinic would create a mechanism for bringing more comprehensive care directly to the patients rather than referring them for care – which requires organizing child care, time away from work, transportation and assorted other expenses (both tangible and intangible). The conference will invite select specialists from the Arequipa area to participate in the trainings – as a mechanism for recruiting their involvement in the clinics operations.

This conference is an important "next step" in the development of HBI, as the conference helps to facilitate sustainable improvements in people’s health through increasing in-country public health clinic’s training and services. It creates a sustainable services - a major mission and focus of all HBI programs and projects. Most of all HBI is dedicated to supporting and mentoring the next generation of “change agents” in communities and countries of need. This conference allows HBI to unite in-country providers with North American volunteers to create collegial exchanges and opportunities for mentoring.

Please stay tuned to this Blog site for updates on the conference and ways that you can help to support the work of Health Bridges International as we work to build sustainable "bridges" for change around the world.

Thank you for all your support - Wayne Centrone, HBI Board President

Physicians Strike in Peru

13,000 Doctors Begin Strike in Peru

(LIP-ir) -- Julio Vargas, the president of the Peruvian Doctors Association, announced Monday that doctors would begin a strike on Tuesday January 8. As promised, over 13,000 doctors in the Andean country began a strike on Tuesday morning. According to Vargas, the union is requesting that health service in Peru be improved so patients in the country can be better assisted. Requests also include a higher budget to establish an adequate system and work with human resources departments, which are unmotivated because of low salaries.

Vargas explained that there were 7,000 medical centers that did not have the necessary funds or equipment to provide a quality service to patients."We are not even asking for a higher pay, but for bonuses that we are legally entitled to. Bonuses that would in some way ease the depressing economical situation doctors are living," affirmed Vargas. Peru's new Health Minister, Hernán Garrido Lecca labeled the strike "unfair" and demanded that the union end the strike so that negotiations could proceed. The Health Minister visited several of Lima's hospitals early this morning and stated that doctors were working as usual.

Emergency rooms, intensive care units and other such services will continue to operate, said César Palomino, the general secretary for the Peruvian Doctors Association.

An update from Peru

Peru's Government Begins Program to Keep Children from Begging on Streets

(LIP-ir) -- The Ministry of Women & Social Development (MIMDES) will carry out the first “raid” of parents who rent or use their children by dressing them in rags and have them beg in the streets, announced Minister Susana Pinilla.Although she did not mention where these raids would take place exactly, Pinilla explained that a ministerial group was evaluating the punishment bad parents would receive for these acts against children's rights."Any person that uses a child for these activities will receive a serious punishment, this is to avoid the use of children for begging on the streets in different ways, for example, begging on a corner, selling on the streets or used as ‘mules’", she stated.

She said the Ministry of Women would not allow children to work because this was a commitment made in the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the United States.“We are firm on this subject, it is better that Peru's society understands the consequences of their actions, because we will use all the law's power to avoid this situation”, she stressed.On previous occasions, this initiative was named “Campaign against begging”, in which Peru's National Police along with the Public Ministry and the Ministry of Women took in abandoned street kids and placed them in the care of the National Institute of Family Welfare.

News source: ANDINA