Peru: Peru Flood Relief
2,815 Patients Treated in 26 Days: July 2017
November 01, 2017
Magali M. de Pujalt, RMF Perú Executive Director, and Deanna Boulard
Summary of Activities
RMF has been working in Perú since 2007, when we arrived to offer long-term medical support to victims of the August 15th earthquake. 10 years later, our health clinic, Policlínico Peruano Americano, is still operating successfully in San Clemente, Pisco, providing free health care to those most in need. In addition to the medical services and outreaches provided by the clinic, in January 2017, Policlínico Peruano Americano began serving as a base of operations to collect and distribute food, clean water, clothing, and other supplies for flood victims.
In May 2017, after several planning sessions, meetings with authorities, and trips to assess areas affected by the flooding, RMF Perú decided to focus our flood relief efforts on several affected towns northeast of the capital city of Lima: Barba Blanca, Huinco, San Pedro de Casta, Santa Eulalia, and surrounding communities in need of aid.
Full Report
Results &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Providing Much-Needed Aid
July 1, 2017- July 27, 2017
Project implementation was 26 days, from July 1, 2017 to July 27, 2017. During this time, RMF Perú’s outreach team, consisting of 2 medical doctors, 2 psychologists, 1 nursing tech, 1 pharmacy tech, and 3 logistics/coordination team members accomplished the following activities:
- Set up and operated 4 temporary (free) health clinics
- Provided primary health care services
- Provided individual psychology consultations and a group workshop
- Distributed medicines, insect repellent, hygiene kits, and warm blankets
- Provided health education and preventative talks on dengue and Zika
- Visited area schools to distribute insect repellent and provide health education and preventative talks on dengue and Zika
Holistic Care Available
2,815 Patients Treated
During this time, RMF provided a total of 1,763 medical consultations and 1,052 psychological consultations for community members in 4 areas of Chosica and Santa Eulalia. Some of our success stories include:
Yovana Rimari
María Pérez
Marcelina Carranza
Eusebio Palomino
Nicolás de Piérola (Quirio Zone 3), Chosica
July 3–5, 2017
RMF Perú’s outreach team arrived on July 3, 2017 and began providing medical and psychological services the same day. The consultations were provided in a well-timed, quiet manner, and we remained in this location until July 5. The team also visited the local school of Zone 3, where RMF’s nurse conducted talks on the prevention of dengue and Zika and we distributed bottles of insect repellent to the children.
Services provided during RMF’s 3-day outreach in Nicolás de Piérola (Quirio Zone 3), Chosica:
- 229 general medicine consultations
- 159 psychology consultations
- 387 bottles of insect repellent distributed to children at the state school Salazar Bondi
Barrio Rímac, Chosica
July 6–8, 2017
For this mission, RMF Perú’s outreach team set up our clinic in the community center of Barrio Rímac, which is located a few blocks from the national university La Cantuta (Universidad Nacional de Educación Enrique Guzmán y Valle). Since 1962, this has been a neighborhood frequented by university students, and most of the houses rent rooms to students who come from the city of Lima and other provinces.
Services provided during RMF’s 3-day outreach in Barrio Rímac, Chosica:
- 162 general medicine consultations
- 119 psychology consultations
- 88 bottles of insect repellent distributed
Nicolás de Piérola (Quirio Zone 4), Chosica
July 10–17, 2017
RMF Perú outreach team was able to provide 7 days of medical and psychological services to the community, as well as distributing blankets, 7-liter containers of drinking water, and bottles of insect repellent. The townspeople also told us that since the days of the natural disasters, specifically March 16th until now, they have not had drinking water. Every so often, the municipality sends water tanks, but the supply is insufficient for the community, and the water is not potable. This is why we distributed 7-liter containers of drinking water to the patients in this community.
Services provided during RMF’s 7-day outreach in Nicolás de Piérola (Quirio Zone 4), Chosica:
- 594 general medicine consultations
- 339 psychology consultations
- 200 blankets distributed to the elderly
- 200 containers of drinking water distributed
- 94 bottles of insect repellent distributed to patients
Ricardo Palma, Santa Eulalia
July 18–27, 2017
The outreach in Ricardo Palma was very successful, and our team also visited the facilities of the San Pedro Home (Hogar San Pedro), which works under the supervision of the parish. In the San Pedro Home, we found 50 people, both children and adults, who were abandoned by their families. Most suffer from illness or disability. The home is going through economic difficulties, as the donors stopped contributing to its maintenance a few months ago. The home is moving forward under the supervision of Father Raúl, with volunteers from the area who help in caring for the sick, conducting activities, and selling products whose proceeds buy medicine and food for those in the San Pedro Home.
Services provided during RMF’s 9-day outreach in Ricardo Palma, Santa Eulalia:
- 778 general medicine consultations
- 435 psychology consultations
- 100 blankets distributed to the elderly
- 245 bottles of insect repellent distributed to patients
Background
& Objectives
Background
RMF has been active in Peru since 2007, when we provided earthquake relief and established our still successful health clinic, Policlínico Peruano Americano, in San Clemente, Pisco. 10 years later, as of March 18th, 2017, ongoing flooding and mudslides, especially in the northern parts of the country, have caused at least 90 deaths, damaged an estimated 150,000 homes and businesses, and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and crops.
RMF Peru continues to offer free health services at our Policlínico Peruano Americano, and since January 2017, we have been collecting and distributing essential supplies such as food, clean water, and clothing for flood victims. We are also continuing our health outreach campaigns and planning medical outreaches farther north, in the regions that have been hit hardest by the flooding.
Objectives
- Provide free health services to those most in need
- Collect and distribute essential supplies, such as food, clean water, and clothing for flood victims
- Conduct medical outreaches in harder-hit areas farther north
- Continue strategizing with our in-country team how to best serve those affected by the flood
More
Photos
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Success
Stories
Yovana Rimari
Age 40
Yovana Rimari, a 40-year-old mother with three children, arrived at RMF’s outreach clinic seeking medical attention because she has been experiencing headaches, fatigue, and anxiety regarding her economic situation. She misses sleep, has pain in her neck and back, and also feels discomfort in the area of her upper stomach. The doctor examined her.
Diagnosis: Tension headache and gastritis
Treatment:
- Ibuprofen 400 mg, 1 tablet every 8 hours for 3 days
- Aluminum hydroxide, 1 tablespoon before meals for 5 days
María Pérez
Age 54
María Pérez, a 54-year-old woman, was brought by her children to RMF’s outreach clinic for a consultation. At the age of 20, she suffered from a diabetic coma. María’s son had only recently discovered what afflicted her. Her children are dedicated to her care because over time the disease has been afflicting her every day. They also mentioned that María recently received a total hysterotomy. Currently, María says she is experiencing strong throat pain, a persistent cough, and mucus.
Diagnosis: Acute tonsillitis
Treatment:
- Ambroxol 30 ml, 1 tablespoon every 12 hours for 3 days
- Erythromycin 500 mg, 2 every 12 hours for 3 days
- Chlorpheniramine 4 mg, 1 every 12 hours for 3 days
- Ibuprofen 400 mg, 1 every 12 hours according to pain
Marcelina Carranza
Age 88
While in the field, RMF Dr. Jeison was stopped by the neighbor of an elderly woman. The neighbor explained that this elderly woman lives alone and cannot travel easily and asked Dr. Jeison to visit her. This request was communicated to Dr. Diego, who went in search of the patient in the company of team members Ruth and Dr. Jeison.
They found the patient, Marcelina Carranza, approximately 88 years of age, sitting alone at the door of her humble dwelling, which looked very dilapidated. They also observed the condition of disorder and lack of cleanliness in which she lives. Marcelina did not hear well, but said that she cooks for herself, with firewood, in addition to raising some animals, like roosters and chickens. The doctors examined her and found that she showed signs of spatial and mental disorientation, as well as difficulty breathing.
Diagnosis: Pulmonary fibrosis
Treatment:
* Ambroxol of 30 ml, 1 tablespoon every 12 hours for 5 days
Eusebio Palomino
Age 84
Eusebio Palomino is an 84-year-old man who lives in Santa Eulalia, where he worked all his life as a stone carver. His work can be seen in the facades of some houses in this area. Eusebio came to RMF’s medical clinic for a consultation, because a neighbor told him that we were conducting a medical campaign and distributing free medicines.
In order to walk, Eusebio leans on the shaft of a broomstick, as he has difficulty mobilizing himself because of a very strong pain in his hip. In addition, he suffers from deafness caused by old age. The doctor examined him.
Diagnosis: Osteoarthritis and gastritis
Treatment:
- Omeprazole, 1 tablet before breakfast and dinner for 7 days
- Complex B, 1 tablet daily for 30 days
- Diclofenac gel, apply twice daily on the sore area
