October 14, 2007

Free Medical Clinic

Program for a Better Peru recently held its largest charitable event ever. On Sunday, October 14, we staged a free medical clinic at the San Juan Bautista school in Characato. Over 200 residents of the surrounding villages of San Cosme, Virgen de Chapi, and 28 de julio attended the six-hour event where they received free examinations, prophylactic and curative treatment, and medicines. Volunteers from the United States and Peru ensured that the event ran smoothly.

Our volunteer medical staff consisted of seven doctors, one nurse, and ten nursing students. The doctors included three general practitioners, two dentists, an obstetrician, and a pediatrician. Patients first reported to triage, where three nursing students took their histories and recorded their weight, blood pressure, and other data. They then proceeded to one of five different classrooms, which were converted into examination rooms for the day.

In their examination rooms, the doctors provided a variety of services. The two dentists performed numerous tooth extractions and prophylactic fluoride treatments. The obstetrician did prenatal exams of expectant mothers and gynecological exams of non-pregnant women. Together the general practitioners and pediatrician examined over 85 adults and 45 children with a variety of ailments.

After being examined, patients proceeded to the "pharmacy" (another converted classroom) where their prescriptions were filled, free of charge, from the stores of medicine we provided. Our well-stocked pharmacy included antibiotics, painkillers, vitamins, anti-inflammatory agents, eye drops, contraceptives, gynecological suppositories, and many other medications.

Five patients, with illnesses ranging from epilepsy to cataracts, were referred by the doctors for further treatment. In the coming weeks we hope to arrange specialist visits for those patients at a hospital in Arequipa.