Guatemala Trip Report from Noemi
Noemi (MSN RN), pictured far right, submitted this report from her Guatemala trip.
A REPORT FROM NOEMI GONZALEZ-LIZAMA, MSN, RN
A letter shared from a fellow team member on the trip to Guatemala
January 23, 2024
Subject: Guatemala Trip June 2023
Dear Mrs. Maame Osei,
My name is Noemi Gonzalez-Lizama. I was part of our church’s (Community Church Rancho) team that went to Guatemala with Ms. Sharon Baker. The Purpose of the mission trip was to assist in the construction of a Pre-school classroom. The leadership and members of the Coyolate community had expressed the need for expansion of their classroom. The team that arrived for this task was experienced in construction. They teamed up with the community and were very successful with the construction.
The Coyolate Community Clinic is relatively new. Our church has been instrumental in that construction as well. The clinic has two examining rooms and a pharmacy adjacent to it. Our focus during the visit was the clinic. The clinic staff consists of a Nurse Practitioner and a Pharmacy Technician. Unfortunately, no photos were taken of the actual clinic. This clinic is clean and well maintained. There is a storage room that lacked shelves. There is lack of modern conveniences such as air conditioning or fans. The nearest hospital emergency room is over two hours away. So, the clinic serves as an Urgent Care center. The fee for the assessment and prescriptions are nominal when compared to medical cost at any level in mainland USA.
The time spent with the staff at the clinic was filled with understanding the process for treatments and care delivery. I learned that patients arrived by self-referral from the local community and word of mouth for those that arrive from outside the community. Should patients require specific laboratory work-up or radiological evaluation, the Nurse Practitioner completes a formal referral and prescription form. The results of the work-up are made available via email.
Part of the task I took upon myself was to assess what supplies the clinic was most in need of. A list of said items was compiled. Of urgent need was as a replacement nebulizer machine and supplies to provide the treatments as this was lacking due to high demand and use during the COVID-19 epidemic. The thermometer and Oxygen evaluation finger sensor was broken. They also lacked a working EKG machine. Another item of much need is a glucose check machines, test strips and calibration solutions. Diabetes runs rampant in the community and the clinic is not able to provide proper education on self-management and care to this disadvantage population. In my professional opinion, these are basic tools to assist is proper assessment and formulation of a proper treatment plan.
The Coyolate Community Clinic is not supported by the Guatemalan Public Health system. They lack the resources to keep-up with inventory or replacement of donated tools. It is the generosity and commitment of mainland donors that keeps the clinic afloat. The medical supplies in the suitcases that were provided by your program/organization is a blessing for the Coyolate Community.
I have first-hand knowledge that a sister church of ours is currently planning on returning to Guatemala come June 2024. Since I witnessed the volume of diabetic ulcers the Nurse Practitioner attends to daily I would like for your program to consider gathering wound care supplies specific this needs.
Should you require more information regarding the clinic needs for this community, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Very Respectfully,
Noemi Gonzalez-Lizama MSN, RN
