Notes from the Field – Page 8

Putting it all together

Laura and Paty spent Friday and Saturday shopping for all the supplies for the promotora’s medical kits and the items needed for the medical brigade. Early Sunday morning, we put the kits together. Mario Hernandez Garibay, Paty’s son, is pictured above. Though only in Junior High, Mario was an incredible help, just as productive as the adults. This is Mario’s second time helping Tia assemble the kits.

Paty is counting the sterile gloves that will go in the kits for the brigade doctors. Because Tia buys many things in bulk, we have to physically count the items for distribution. We finished on time and saw the brigade off, on its way to El Salvador, Jalisco.

People Profile: Community Leader Maurilia

Tia is greatly indebted to these two incredible women, Patricia Garibay (Tia) and Maurilia Huerta Salas. Maurilia is a natural community leader from La Presa. Though Maurilia has no legs and underdeveloped arms, she completed her high school education and some college courses. She served as a Municipal Council Member, representing the communities in the area.

She is a champion for the surrounding villages and pleaded with PMC to bring Tia’s program to her area. She helped coordinate the living arrangements for the brigade and even helped cook the meals. Maurilia has plans to start a microenterprise foundation in her area.

PMC’s Dr. Francisco Rico and Dr. Juan Jose Jauregui

Dr. Francisco Rico (Left) and Dr. Juan Jose Jauregui Lomeli, Associate Dean for the Program of Medicine in the Community (PMC) (Right) stand next to Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara‘s PMC Mobile Medical Unit. This state-of-the-art unit was provided by funds from the local Rotary Club. The mobile medical unit can travel virtually anywhere in Latin America during natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

Continue reading “PMC’s Dr. Francisco Rico and Dr. Juan Jose Jauregui”

Notes from the Field: Graduation Day

Dr. Julio (left) reviews concepts and answers questions for the promotoras. During this launch, near Ojuelos, Jalisco, the four villages of La Granja, Morenitos, La Presa and Salitrillo sent women elected by those communities to receive training. As you can see in the photo, some of the promotora’s children joined them and even learned CPR. Each promotora on graduation day received their medical kits and a diploma.

The medical kits contain bandages, a stethoscope, a baumanometer, an instrument kit, first aid supplies, vitamins, anti-parasitics, anti-spider venom, a manual respirator, IV supplies, rehydration solution, antihistamines, and many other medicines.

Notes from the Field: Promotora Practices CPR

Dr. Julio helps a new promotora in La Granja, Jalisco with CPR. During the morning of Graduation Day, the promotoras review the skills they learned during the week. Dr. Julio and the other visiting doctors from UAG’s PMC make sure that each of the promotoras are comfortable with CPR, giving injections, taking blood pressure and montoring glucose levels.