PARTNERS FOR ANDEAN COMMUNITY HEALTH INC
Programs
Medical Missions and Surgical Bridge Program
We're back! After three long years of withstanding the pandemic, we were delighted to begin hosting medical missions to Hospital FIBUSPAM in Riobamba once again. In 2022, we hosted three international teams who helped us provide free medical care and surgeries to thousands of patients in need. We also restarted our Surgical Bridge Program, collaborating with Shriners Hospital in Boston to provide specialized surgical care to Ecuadorian children in need. We continued to provide support to Hospital FIBUSPAM and received special recognition by the Ecuadorian government for our continued success and expertise in our high-impact, cost-effective surgical program. We are proud that the work of PACH empowers our partners and is driven by the needs and request of the Ecuadorian community in Chimborazo Province and our local staff at FIBSUPAM. Thank you to all of our volunteers and donors who make our vision of equitable and affordable health care for those most in need a reality! Program Highlights The Surgical Bridge Program is Back! COVID-19 brought the Surgical Bridge Program (SBP), previously called The International Children's Program, to a standstill. However, the program is back and, during 2022, the program facilitated surgeries for three children at Shriners Hospital. SBP matches individuals with severe and complex medical conditions (most commonly third-degree burns) that cannot be treated locally in Ecuador with advanced medical treatment in the United States. The program facilitates the visa application process, arranges flights and lodging, fundraises for incidental expenses, and coordinates other logistics. One of the children supported by the SBP in 2022 was Joselyn who sustained third-degree burns when the gas stove in her family's home exploded. These burns covered 35% of her body, including her face, neck, and arms. She could not open her mouth completely or completely close her right eye and she was in constant pain. Thanks to the care she received, Joselyn is now doing better. Her mother is pleased that Joselyn has her smile back. "National Plan on Surgery, Obstetrics and Anesthesia" At the invitation of Ecuador's Vice President, Dr. Alfredo Enrique Borrero Vega, representatives from PACH and FIBUSPAM participated in a two-day meeting in Quito in December organized by the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change at Harvard University and Ecuador's Ministry of Health and Vice President to develop a "National Plan on Surgery, Obstetrics and Anesthesia" (PNCOA). PNCOA works with the World Health Organization (WHO) and many developing nations to establish plans and goals to improve systems and access to care for the world's poor. This initial session was designed to define and establish priorities to begin to develop a national plan in Ecuador. Participants included representatives from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health and Harvard as well as the Director General of the WHO, and Ecuadorian stakeholders. PACH Supports Venezuelan Immigrants Summer Immersion Program participant Amandari had the opportunity to conduct qualitative interviews with Venezuelan migrants who were patients at Hospital FIBUSPAM to learn more about the community's interaction with the health care system in Ecuador and how the hospital can better serve them. Most patients were young women who left Venezuela anywhere from five months to six years ago; over half had no plans to return to Venezuela. For most patients, this was their first time at Hospital FIBUSPAM, although some had been able to utilize the public health care system in Ecuador but did not have positive experiences. When Amandari asked about any trauma in the migration process, patients said that while they had not experienced trauma, they had experienced a lot of xenophobia after arriving in Ecuador including in the healthcare system. Several patients felt that they were made to wait longer for care because of their country of origin: One patient, a woman in her 50s, described being made to wait in the emergency room while Ecuadorian patients who arrived after her were seen first. One patient said scheduling appointments is more difficult with a Venezuelan ID. These interviews provided valuable information about the Venezuelan immigrant experience in Ecuador. PACH and Hospital FIBUSPAM continue to help the Venezuelan community by providing a space where they have equitable access to care. X-Ray Unit Renovated On December 28, 2022, Hospital FIBUSPAM completed the design and construction of its own radiology center. This includes the installation of our own sophisticated x-ray machine and the requisite lead protections in the walls and doors. The space includes an office for radiologist Dr. Leila Garcia and her Chief of Staff as well as a dedicated space for her work with our ultrasound unit. These improvements allow for new capabilities and greater capacity for the hospital and were a requirement for the recent accreditation of the hospital.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$256.5KCommunity Medical Missions
The Return of Missions We were excited to welcome back medical missions to Ecuador for the first time since 2019. These medical missions play an important role in the organization's mission to empower local healthcare providers while immediately addressing some of the community's most pressing needs. In July, Project Nido returned for its fourth trip to Riobamba facilitating medical caravans with a focus on women's health. Another returning group led by Dr. Parag Gandhi performed dozens of oculoplastics and strabismus surgeries. Additionally, in October, PACH hosted Healing the Children Northeast (HCNE) for their first medical mission to Riobamba providing dental care to 423 students at a school in the community of Cajabamba. They performed 1,243 procedures including cleanings, restorations, and extractions as well as gave out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss while educating the students on proper dental care. We look forward to continuing to welcome more medical missions, create more opportunities for collaboration with US medical professionals, and expand our offering of high-quality medical care to the people of the Chimborazo province in 2023.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$49.2KSummer Immersion Health Projects
Summer Immersion Program Over the summer, 12 immersion program students from a variety of backgrounds developed innovative projects. Their projects covered themes such as Indigenous health and nutrition, agroecology, water borne illnesses, innovations in health care delivery approaches, infant and maternal health, and barriers to eye care access for Hospital FIBUSPAM patients. The students participated in a medical caravan with Dr. Ghandi of SEE International, in which they assisted with providing oculoplastics surgery and supported Project Nido in distributing free reading glasses and other medical care to local communities.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$19.1K
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