Montero lies approximately 50 km north of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia. About 300 m above sea level, the city is mainly agricultural, growing soybeans, corn, cotton and rice. It was here that we spent most of our time, working with the Consejo de Salud Rural Andino (CSRA), a local NGO.Consisting of 3 different districts, CSRA Montero serves approximately 40,000 individuals within the area. Their mission statement is something we all strive for as future doctors, "Salvar Vidas a Traves de Conocer y Trabajar Junto a Nuestros Semejantes en el Perfeccionmiento de su Salud." roughly translated as "To Save Lives By Learning and Working Together in the Development of Health."
Before we arrived in Bolivia, the only information we had of the area, its inhabitants and the health care system came by way of Curamericas, CSRA's American counterpart. But nothing could have prepared me for the difference in health care systems.
Words are not enough to describe the obvious disparity between resources in the United States and Bolivia. While I had been to other countries, even used a toilet that consisted of a hole in the ground, with two ceramic tiles on either side with ridges to stand on and a "wall" between stalls that reached 6 inches off the ground and was "flushed" by pouring a bucket of water from a faucet down the hole, I had yet to see health care in another country other than the US. It was an amazing experience and I would do it over again.
So, to remember the experience, to show a little of the culture, the health care system and the work of the CSRA as well as the people we have met in Bolivia, I thought it would be worthwhile to have a post about each day of our trip. For those who have considered joining a medical mission, take a leap of faith and go for it. It'll be worth every penny, every second of time...
Why Bolivia?
Day 0
Day 1 - Morning
Day 1 - Afternoon
Day 2
Back in Sint Maarten
During our time in Bolivia, we were also followed by a reporter, Romulo Limache Orellana, who taped our excursions, noting our activities at the local jail, in clinics and the hospital. Before we left, he presented the group with a DVD he has compiled and told us to check Montero Noticias on Monday, August 29 when we returned to the island to read an article he had written.
Estudiantes de medicina del Caribe ganan experiencia en Montero
~Jen
