Peru Health Outreach Project

Meet Juan*

In the district of Pisac, approximately 150 people inhabit the small mountain town of Ccotataqui. As our bus pulled up the bumpy dirt road into the courtyard of the school where we would hold clinic, a local official announced our arrival to the town via megaphone. While we set up our supplies for clinic, a crowd of women and children began to accumulate. We triaged these patients in order of their arrival, and sent them on to see the doctors. Although the line was long, we triaged effectively, and the physicians and their assisting medical students worked efficiently to keep patients moving through. However, around noon a group of men showed up from the fields. Their leader, Juan, explained that they were on lunch break from working in the fields, and only had an hour before they needed to get back to work. After a moment of deliberation, we decided to let this group cut the line. Although it seemed unfair to see these workers before the women and children who had been waiting all day, we knew that if we didn’t see the workers now, we would not be able to help them at all.

While filling out his triage form, I learned that like many of his fellow farmers, Juan suffered from the occupational hazards of lower back pain, eye pain, and a pterygium in one eye. When I asked the standard question <<Cuando fue la ultima vez que vio a un doctor?>> (when did you last see a doctor?), he responded <<nunca>> (never). After having his vitals taken in triage, Juan had an interview and an exam with a physician and medical student. He was then referred to the physical therapy station, where he learned back exercises, stretches, and practiced appropriate lifting techniques to reduce the strain on his back. Next Juan moved on to the eyeglasses station, where he was outfitted with donated sunglasses to protect his eyes during his long work days in the fields. Not only will these sunglasses help reduce the burning and tearing he experienced as a result of sun exposure, they will also slow the growth of his pterygium. After completing his circuit through our clinic stations, Juan thanked us earnestly for the sunglasses and advice. By working efficiently for the rest of the day, we were still able to see all of the patients waiting in line. Juan and his fellow farmers were so thankful for the chance to visit our clinic on their brief lunch break, we were happy to have been able to help them.

*Names changed