Ecuador News - Winter 2005

The Health Center & Outreach Programs:

• AMBULANCE: Thanks to donations from all our supporters world-wide, we were able to purchase a car for the project – a 1997 Mitsubishi Montero. The car has served wonderfully as an emergency vehicle to transport critical patients to the Quinindé hospital. Already, our vehicle saved the life of a 16-year old girl, suffering from septicemia after a stillbirth. With the car, we were able to transfer her to a Quito hospital. We hope to raise additional funds for another vehicle to use for the reliable transport of staff and supplies between our office, the Quinindé hospital and health center.
  
  
  

  David Salvador (Office Administrator, Quito), Dolores Bolaños (Executive Director, fhn Ecuador), Martin Eckhardt (President, fhn Germany) & Gaby Ordoñez (fhn Ecuador) with the new fhn 4WD-ambulance!

  
  
• The rural doctor Melanio Perez finished his year in mid-October. In December 2004, we warmly welcomed the first female rural doctor at the health center; Dr. Yuniar Araujo from Colombia.
  
• Our rural dentist, Juan Baño, is still with us. He has been working very closely with the community, giving dental health classes at the school in La Y de La Laguna.
  
• VOLUNTEERS: Sui Wong, a doctor from Malaysia/UK, volunteered with us until mid January 2005. She attended patients, assisted with health promoter workshops, supported improvements in the laboratory, and trained local nurses. She accomplished a very important objective by creating a finalized list of essential medication for the health center. This will improve health center management and help us avoid shortages of essential drugs.
  • Thank you to Erin Lunde (medical student from Harvard Medical School) and Knut Hjelleset (Norwegian volunteer who cultivated medicinal plants, fruit trees & an ornamental garden at the health center) for their incredible work in the region! They are sorely missed by all.
    
• We are vastly improving the laboratory capabilities at the health center, with new equipment and cabinetry, to facilitate the critical work of Guido Tómala, our trained lab technician from the nearby community of 27 de Junio. Thanks to training from Sui Wong & Dinah Storm (lab technician, Germany), Guido now provides five new lab exams to test for infection and disease in the region.
  
• Medical Brigades: In September-October 2004 we visited five outlying communities, where we attended patients, evaluated the latrine-construction project and established improved coordination with community leaders and health promoters. The mud was deep, but the visits went wonderfully!
  
• A solar refrigerator, donated by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health and the government of Luxemburg, was installed in the health center to store vaccines. With less dependence on electricity, we can confidently pursue the Extended Immunization Program throughout the region.

Local Capacity-Building:

• The health promoters trained by fhn have held a number of workshops in recent months, which have focused on: malaria and the use of bednets, nutrition (fruits and vitamins), planting of a fruit garden around the health center, and collecting data for the annual health indicators.
  
  
  

  The Health Committee in El Páramo, pictured with Gaby Ordoñez and Martin Eckhardt

  
  
• Our local health committee has elected a new board. Special honors were conferred on those members who have been there from the start. As usual, they are committing much of their time and energy to sustaining the health center and its programs. IGracias!
  
• · Medical staff received training for treatment of snakebites and administration of anti-venom, from Dr. Cesar Díaz of the National Malaria Department.
  
• · Local community members, Kathy Caval and Elsa Moreira are working as assistant nurses, now helping our doctor & providing health education.
  
• Xavier Aguavil, our new health center administrator from La Laguna is doing an excellent and spirited job organizing the health center and its entire staff!