Afternoon
So after lunch, we headed out to tour the clinics. As mentioned in the main Bolivia page, CSRA has three clinics in Montero - Cruz Roja, Distrito 2 and Villa Cochabamba.
We started off after lunch to Cruz Roja.
In the beginning, the Red Cross building consisted only of a few rooms.
Original section of Cruz Roja
Daniel (our on-site coordinator/translator)
Listening to the history of Cruz Roja
However, they expanded over the years, now a larger building consisting of a maternity ward,
Learning about the maternity ward
several rooms for consultations and dental visits as well as a place for doctors and nurses to cook and rest.
Soccer stadium viewed from the kitchen on the top floor
Neighborhood surrounding Cruz Roja
Our second stop yielded one of the best quotes of the trip by far.
Distrito 2
Distrito 2 serves mainly pergnant women and children in the area, including children who attend school in the neighborhoods surrounding the clinic since their visits are covered by the government. As we took a tour around Distrito 2, we also wandered over into the park across the street.
Naddi and Mike running across the street.
Naddi and Mike even joined in on a soccer game that just started.
Naddi and Mike running across the street.
But the best part had yet to come. Walking back to the front entrance of Distrito 2, we saw a full car drive by. The next thing we knew, everyone was keeled over laughing as Steve and Daniela translated what they had yelled.
It's raining gringos!
Our last stop of the day was Villa Cochabamba.
Here, at this clinic, they have a TB room where they keep track of the residents with tuberculosis, monitor their health and distribute their medicine. As part of the Tb program, medication and treatment is free if a patient lives in the area; therefore, many families moved into the area to take advantage of the available services. However, due to the cost and the fear of spreading Tb as well as the possibility of becoming resistant to the medication, patients are sometimes jokingly cautioned against leaving the area or missing a day. Family members are also held responsible for the infected patient.
After looking at the facilities, we walked back to Pinocho, stopping by the market along the way. And so, we passed our first day in Montero. But the best had yet to come.
Tomorrow, we would enter locked gates, surrender our electronics and join the jailed.
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