Author: Aidee Boesen

Another Trip to Peru…

Early Monday morning, the 28th of June, 7:30 am, after the second week of “Mission Preaching” here in Green Bay I boarded an airplane for the trip to Lima, Peru. It was a long flight. Two face masks, a plastic face shield like welder uses, full plane all the way. Only snack food served. After customs and immigration, I walked out into the cold, rainy, early morning, at 3:00 a.m. The director of the patient house in Lima met me and led me to the waiting cab. Hot coffee, 2 hours of sleep, and off we went to see the Bishop of the Vicariato San Jose del Amazonas. He was staying in a high school faculty house of his order, the Spanish Claretians. We spoke of the Pandemic and the tragic deaths of 23 doctors in the government hospital in Iquitos. Another priest doctor, Padre Raymundo, native of the Island of Malta and founder of a hospice for dying HIV patients, and the bishop worked together with community groups, led a rally and parade and raised funds for the purchase of oxygen generators for the hospitals in Iquitos and in Sta. Clotilde. They both were rewarded for their efforts by a call from the Gobernador of Loreto, the region in which Iquitos is located. He advised them sternly against any other excursions into political action. The Bishop answered the Gobernador directly saying, the church has been doing medicine since 1954 on the Napo River and is happy to collaborate with other needs.

Later that day I began the work of clearing the deed for our patient house in Lima. The “Registro Publico” is a large bureaucratic building in the center of Lima. We stood in a line which wrapped around the whole block, in the rain and cold only to be told after an hour that they were closed for the day.

That evening, Dr. Brian Medernach, the President of PANGO, the executive board for the hospital in Sta. Clotilde, called a meeting with our administrator in Lima, the patient advocate and maintenance man. Three hours of productive conversation left us assured that we could continue to offer housing and accompaniment to patients from Sta. Clotilde and other parts of the vicariate who are referred to specialty hospitals in Lima. That need is great!

The following day, Brian and I travelled to Iquitos, visited the Colegio Médico del Perú Regional office in Iquitos. The entrance of the building has a display of the photos of the 23 doctors who died during the early days of the Pandemic. The “New” Hospital Iquitos has been under construction for more than 5 years. Construction often halted for lack of funds. Only a shell is seen. NO equipment has been purchased.

The following day we travelled from Iquitos, by water, to Sta. Clotilde, up the Napo River where we were greeted by the whole staff of the hospital, faculty of the high school, friends and neighbors. A heartwarming reception followed by a good meal of fried fish and fruit. The following days were filled with conversations with patients, doctors, nurses, nurses’ aides, pharmacists, maintenance personnel, river pilots and caretakers of the boats and motors that allow us to reach out to the 110 communities.

The physician staff is led by a retired, Spanish Obstetrician whose medical knowledge is wide and deep. He cares personally for patients and accompanies the young doctors with his confidence and continual availability whenever help is needed. His teaching around patients. Nurses are confident when he leads the “rounds”. His leadership is genuine, personal, and well founded on his studies and experience. Patients are treated with respect and expertise. The hospital is clean, the kitchen is pleasant and meals are well prepared with local foods…no can goods. There are three new nursing Sisters from a prominent hospital in Lima, the “Clínica Tessa”. That hospital also sponsors a nursing school and soon nursing students will be incorporated in Sta. Clotilde.

The final day was centered on a personal interviews and observation of the daily reception of new patients and the care of inpatients. A final meeting with the whole staff was very encouraging. There is a general feeling of confidence and pride in the Centro de Salud de Sta. Clotilde. The personal welcome and personal care allows indigenous peoples to feel welcome and confidence in their care.

Many new ideas for improvement, such as new recruiting for young doctors were identified. Three young doctors serve within the Sta. Clotilde system of a central hospital and 15 outlying smaller clinics, all of which are now able to communicate by a dedicated Wi-Fi system installed by and cared for by the Catholic University of Lima engineers.

We returned tired, confident, and deeply appreciative for the opportunity to renew direct contact with the staff, the local community and the Vicariate. The days ahead seem brighter.

Fr. Jack MacCarthy