Health
APECA works closely with Peruvian government agencies through community outreach health projects. APECA supports the delivery of the Ministry of Health projects by providing coordination and logistical support to remote villages. Floods, distance, and lack of communication challenge the goal of making all services available to every member of the community. For many villagers this is their only contact with Peruvian health workers.
APECA trains local volunteers in basic community health. These individuals are elected by their respective communities to receive the needed rigorous training and extensive experience to enable them to serve as leaders in cultivating healthy communities. The training is a long-term commitment taken seriously by the participant, the community, APECA, and regional authorities. Participants often travel long distances from their remote villages to attend three-day training sessions and subsequent follow-up sessions and evaluations.
The training course materials are divided into two units of study: Prevention and Contagious Diseases. The Prevention unit includes training in the areas of contamination and treatment of water sources, and the importance and means for maintaining clean dirt floors. The second unit begins with learning patient assessment and first aid. It includes information of treatment through both pharmaceutical and local, natural medicines, as well as treatment of diseases transmitted by water–diarrhea, cholera, parasitic infections, and viral hepatitis. This unit also focuses on prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and infections via contact with animals and insects. Students learn strategies for preventing common communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, meningitis, and pneumonia, as well as how to avoid disease associated with wound infections.
The APECA team is known and welcomed by the villagers as they assist in the delivery of life-saving care. These projects address the following: (1) preventive health visits to villages; (2) dental health campaigns; (3) the Vigilantes de Salud (a training program for leadership and basic emergency medicine), and; (4) training of rural midwives.
Health Promoters who complete all programs, and pass a certification exam are eligible to receive a community health chest. Created and provided by APECA, the chest is stocked with medical supplies and medications specific to local needs. Each community is responsible for seeing that the supplies are renewed and maintained as needed. Once trained, the Health Promoter maintains continuous communication with APECA through community evaluation visits and periodic training updates held at El Fundo.
For more information, Contact APECA at: apecaperu@apecaperu.org.