Providence St. Joseph's Spring 2018 Thursday and then Semana Santa in Antigua..
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| Head Nurses Porfirio and Amanada with data completed |
On Thursday of this week, the Medical Team completed its
final assessments at the hospital in Uspantan.
There were plenty of ill children that met criteria
for an assessment pre and post consultation.
Mary observed the process in the waiting area
and exam rooms, while the chief of nursing, Porfirio and I interviewed mothers
with their infants before the left the hospital urgent care area.
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| Traditional Midwives in meeting on Hospital Grounds |
After completing our data collections, we were treated at the hospital to a visit with a group of traditional indigenous midwives.
The group of nearly 30 was having their monthly meeting on the
hospital grounds.
They have been an integral part of serving their community
and providing a cultural bridge for the women sent to the hospital to labor or
deliver with more complicated pregnancies and births.
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| Medicinal Herb Garden |
Nearly 90% of the deliveries still happen in the villages with many of these “comadronas” or midwives. They each are registered with the ministry of health, have regular trainings and even a quality review similar to the midwives we met 5 years ago in Todos Santos. What was more remarkable is that 2 “comadronas” are on site and employed by this hospital in Uspantan to help care for their people using traditional herbal remedies and treatments. Within the hospital courtyard sits a small structure with a few beds and even a sweat lodge that is used by these women. Pictured is one of the more experienced midwives with the head nurse, Porfirio. In addition, a traditional medicinal herb garden with plants used for all sorts of symptoms and conditions was well tended adjacent. It was heartwarming to witness the way the medical and nursing staff value the traditional caregivers contribution to the care at this small yet very bust hospital.
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| CAP (Centro Attencion Permanente) and Health Post teams. |
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| Hospital Facility Assessment Team |
At the conclusion we met separately for a feedback session
with the hospital and clinic teams. We noticed that both groups of
professionals were quite positive about completing the assessment and look
forward to reviewing the data.
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| Mary helping with data entry (maybe) |
After identifying gaps, a process similar to
what we are familiar with in continuous quality improvement (Plan-Do-Study-Act)
will be initiated. Both Mary and I know that this is a first step, but were
both impressed with the teams commitment to moving forward, even without
significant government support. I encouraged all to keep at it, and that this
type of work requires considering what can be done and a longer term cycle of
planning and assessment. We hope we will continue to be able to provide
whatever support we can provide.
After the conclusion of the feedback sessions, we and the
Providence St. Joseph’s service team were treated to a goodbye dinner complete
with a marimba band, dancing, traditional Guatemalan meal of Peppian and
presentations by the MTI staff. It was a heartwarming and beautiful evening.
The MTI staff of Walter, Gladys R and Gladis, Horacio, Ramon and Romeo are all
amazing people, who are wonderful examples to us all of their love, commitment
and service.
We are all so grateful for their leadership and friendship.
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| Horacio is proudly now a Timbers "Guerrero" |
This is a community in the department of Quiche which boasts an rich Mayan spiritual tradition that is interwoven within Catholicism and not only welcomed but revered. Pictured in the flood of the church with is many stone tables replete with candles and offerings. A procession of Shaman entered the main square to visit the northern church structure, complete with drums, placards and statures signifying the beginning of Santa Semana or Holy Week.
The minibus arrived in Antigua in the early afternoon. The
teams enjoyed not only the charm of this beautiful colonial city, but also the
start of processions and excitement of this time of year.
The teams left early Sunday morning after sightseeing, a
visit to Las Obras and a final reflection time with team leaders Gladys Rivera
and Mark……
They left at 6 am Sunday morning but I am fortunate that I will be
able to spend the week here with my partner, Kim, traveling in this amazing
country and seeing some of its most beautiful and amazing places.
I hope to be back within the year, as Providence and MTI
plan their next chapter in their story of working together to provide support
to the communities in Chicaman and Uspantan, Guatemala.
Thank you for reading.
Bob Gobbo MD
Residency Director.
Providence Hood River Family Medicine Rural Residency
Program
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