I want to thank all the Rotarians and Clubs that supported the Tocopilla Bolivia Medical Clinic, and Mano a Mano Bolivia and International for their work to complete the medical clinic that became operational this month. We had planned to have a grand opening on March 19th but had to reschedule due to the covid19 concerns, however you are all invited to join us for the dedication on our Bolivia adventure in 2021. I just finished the final report and it is so appropriate to this month’s Rotary theme for Maternal and Child Health Month. The goal of the project is to provide improved medical facilities for the families in the region who lack access to quality medical care due to the remoteness of the region.
Bolivia’s maternal death rate during childbirth is very high, and is the highest in Latin America, a rate that can be reduced dramatically through appropriate pre and post-natal care and attended deliveries. ChildFund International states “According to the World Bank, the child mortality rate is around 51 deaths per 1,000 live births, and in rural areas where access to health care is sporadic, it can be even higher. The leading causes — infection, hemorrhaging and other obstetric complications — of maternal mortality in Bolivia are preventable.” My photo below on the left shows a young lady who gave birth the previous night (who was gracious enough to give permission for me to use the photo); representing the old clinic conditions in the village when I visited there in 2018, they lacked the necessary medical facilities. The new clinic and staffing by Doctors will greatly improve the health care in the region, as shown in the photo to the right of the similar Jatun Mayu clinic that we dedicated later that week during my visit.
(Photo provided by Mano a Mano Bolivia)
The women of the community were very involved in promoting the importance of the clinic project. The initial request for the new medical facility reflected strong female representation and participation. It was clear to the Rotarians on our visit in 2018 that the women of the community had a voice and were instrumental in advocating for the health and welfare of children and families. I don’t speak Quechua, the native language, y me hablo espanol muy poco; but a picture is worth a thousand words and these are the local community members who attended the initial discussions when we were evaluating the site.
Karl Everett
Harbortown Rotary International Chair
District 5580 Water & Sanitation Chair