Argentina Week #2

I had a great second week in Salta. We were able to spend time at two different public health clinics in two poor communities on the outskirts of Salta, where we saw many more pediatric patients and participated in public health efforts, including vaccination campaigns, home visits, and a class on preparing for labor & delivery...all things I am interested in and enjoy.

I don't think Lori was as excited about these days as I was however...

• Public Clinic #1: where we went with Dra. Oliva, she spends most of her time working in public clinics, but also works 1 day at Savia

A poster in the clinic encouraging breastfeeding, it essentially says: "Want to give your child what is best? Breastfeeding is all that is necessary until 6 months."

Breastfeeding is extremely important for nutrition in these poor communities, and is much more natural and open here--as it is in most countries--than it is in the US.

(There was also a much more graphic one showing a mom breastfeeding right after birth, but I knew some of the blog readers wouldn't appreciate it as I did)

After clinic, we went door to door in the community with Dra. Oliva and one of the nurses looking for men between the ages of 16-39 who hadn't yet received the Rubeola Vaccine (last year's campaign was for the women these ages). We vaccinated people at their homes, walking down the street, in their place of work...including at the butcher shop. It was hot, but a really great experience (and a little scary because of how they handle their sharps...they recapped them and put them with the rest of the trash in a plastic sack)!

Lori putting alcohol on a piece of cotton to clean the arm Me giving a vaccine

Each Wednesday morning, we attend English class with the residents...Andres, the boyfriend of one of the resident's, who is a vet, is the teacher.

• Public Clinic #2: at this clinic we didn't actually spend any time in the clinic, but spent two days going out with the community health workers on home visits. We checked on people who were ill, pregnant women, and kids who were underweight and nutritionally malnourished, and we gave rubeola, yellow fever, and tetanus vaccinations.

The community health workers carried backpacks with a cooler for vaccines and all the supplies to prep the vaccines, things to measure height & weight, oral rehydration salts, packages of vegetable seeds to give to families, and huge binders as they were extremely meticulous in their documentation (and much safer with their sharps--they had small sharps containers). In their work room at the clinic they had these elaborate display boards of how many women in the community were pregnant, which nutritional category the children were in, who had TB and which stage it was in, etc. and a large village map, all colorfully divided up by which healthcare worker was responsible for which parts. This was also a really interesting and great experience.

Two of the community health workers with their backpack and scale deviceWeighing a little girlMe giving another vaccinationHomes in the community

Below are more posts about the more touristy things we have been doing in our spare time...