By Sandra McGirr | Director
In March, qhali Evarista was approached by a man in her community who informed her that a fellow community member had fallen and injured herself the previous day. Nieves, a 50-year-old woman, had been lying in her bed alone in her house since the incident, unable to move or get help. Evarista immediately tried to call the Health Center in Calca to report the emergency but did not receive a response, and so, confronted with this situation, she understood that she, as the trained health worker in the community, would need to organize transportation and care of this woman herself.
Upon hearing of the woman’s condition, Evarista was certain that Nieves would need to be seen at the hospital, and thus arranged for a taxi to start the long trip up to her community. Evarista solicited the help of residents to accompany her with her portable stretcher and first aid equipment (provided by the Rotary Club of Coquitlam, BC), to the patient’s home. When Evarista arrived she found Nieves in a great deal of pain, with her neighbors trying to move her unsuccessfully. Evarista explained to her neighbors the importance of immobilizing a fracture prior to moving a patient, and used the opportunity not only to care for Nieves but to teach others how to manage such an emergency. Evarista assessed the patient and finding a lower limb fracture used her first aid supplies to stabilize the fracture and prepare the patient for transport out across the mountains to the nearest road where the taxi was waiting. Together with the help of community members they carried Nieves to the taxi, an hour’s walk from the patient’s home. Evarista assigned a community member to accompany the patient to the hospital and assist her with translation and whatever else she may need. Later that evening, Evarista confirmed with the health center that Nieves has been seen and treated, and she was thankful that she had been able to assist her neighbor.
Prior to the involvement of DESEA’s qhalis, situations such as the one suffered by Nieve’s, could easily have left the patient permanently disabled. At DESEA Peru, we are extremely impressed by the passion and initiative that Evarista continues to demonstrate in the care of her community. She is a fine example of the vital role the qhalis serve in their remote and marginalized areas.
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By Samantha Serrano | Program Development Coordinator
By Sandra McGirr | Project Leader
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