Summary of November 2014 Mission to Peru

Regardless of a few last minute cancellations of some who said they were interested, we arrived in Juanjui with a great Cardiologist, Dr Felix Davalos, Clínica San Gabriel, Complejo Hospitalario San Pablo, San Miguel, Lima, Peru; and the Clínica Ricardo Palma, San Isidro, Lima; Dr Michel Del Castillo, Dra Ingrid Hidalgo Panduro, and Maria Tacunan and Eliana Morla from Armonizar. 

The first morning after arrival we were at the Juanjui Hospital bright and early and were met by adults and children, already waiting for the “Doctor of Hearts”.  A long day ensued as were those that followed.  Days of listening to little heart beats, at the hospital, at the Government Health Posts in various communities of San Martin, and at many schools, both in Juanjui and small villages along the Rio Hullaga. 

The procedures included clinical evaluations using Pulse Oximetry testing, Ascultation of heart sounds with Stethoscopes, visual, and in some cases, Echocardiography. The results of four days showed 1080 school children tested, 26 of whom needed follow-up through Echocardiography, and six(6) that were referred to Los Ninos Hospital in Lima.

Four days of intensive work showed the results predicted by the studies of Dr Bob Detrano and others regarding the prevalence of Congenital Heart Defects(CHD) in young school age children.  The best part of this four days of work, was that there are six children who, prior to the testing, were not aware that there was a problem.  Now, help can be obtained through the Cardiology Department at Los Ninos Hospital in Lima, to start corrections before the children suffer the effects at a later stage of life.  Correction at an early age means quicker recovery and an excellent chance of a healthy, normal life.

Our work in the Juanjui Project will continue in 2015 with missions in June/July and October/November.  You can be a part of history and our efforts to eliminate the late discovery of CHD in Juanjui, San Martin, and hopefully in the Region of Arequipa in late 2015.  Contact us to reserve a spot.

UPDATE #1 - "Stethoscopes for Peru"

UPDATE #1:  “Stethoscopes for Peru”

First of all, thanks to all my friends and friends of The Luz Fund, who donated to help purchase Stethoscopes and equipment needed for the project.  I am sure the people of San Martin and Juanjui echo my thoughts.

Through your kindness, we were able to purchase twenty new Littman Stethoscopes for the 2014 graduating Nurses of Juanjui Institute.  They will be assisting us in October to mass screen all the school children of Juanjui and as much of San Martin as we are able.

Our list of purchases made with your donations include:

20  Stethoscopes

1    Master (Teaching) Stethoscope

6    Pulse Oximeters

2    Infant Pulse Oximeters

1    Adult Sphygmomanometer

1    Pediatric       “            “

These items will be shipped this week to Dr Ingrid in Peru to present to the Nurses to use in the October mass screening project, and for ongoing care of children, infants, and new borns, in the San Martin – Juanjui area of Peru.

In November, we will begin followup testing of children who show positive results for Congenital Heart Disease during the mass screening.

The balance of the donations, not used on the purchase, will help to pay the $503.00 Fed-Ex shipping fee for our large box to Juanjui, Peru. 

In case you missed taking part in the Stethoscopes program, above, there is still time to donate.  Next on the agenda, shipping eight hospital gurneys, medical equipment and medicines to the Juanjui Hospital for the Poor.  Approximately $3000.00.

Remember us on “Amazon Smile” when you purchase items from Amazon.

Cardiac Medical Mission - Peru - November 2014

STETHOSCOPES FOR PERU

The Stethoscope Project is basically a small part of our overall project to help make people in the San Martin Province of Peru aware of the need to check children, and adults, for signs of congenital heart disease, and to provide for them the means to do it, using their own resources.  I have a dear friend in Juanjui, Peru, her name is "Dr" Ingrid. She is not a real doctor, but a registered midwife. However, for 95% of the women and many of the children in the town of Juanjui and the river villages, she is their doctor.

Ingrid asked me last year to help her find a Cardiologist that could come to Juanjui.  She feels there are a lot of undiagnosed cardiac issues among the population there. Women give birth, usually at home, and the child is likely never seen by a doctor. Thus many illnesses go undetected, as well as recognition of cardiac issues, treatable at a young age if discovered.  Many adults also show signs of cardiac disease but there is no doctor nor any close clinics or healthcare facilities where they can go, even if the financial resources were available.

A Cardiologist friend, now volunteering fulltime in China, Dr Robert Detrano, from UCLA Med School, wrote an article regarding the easiest way to make this happen in developing countries. Dr Bob's model includes Stethoscope screening of school children.  Thus starts the Juanjui Cardiac Project. The Stethoscopes for Peru is the first step in the project.

There is a small Nursing School in Juanjui and The Luz Fund enjoys a close working relationship with the administrator, Dr Vasquez.  But Stethoscope training is likely not understood well enough to allow the students to recognize cardiac issues when they hear them.  Our plan is to give the nursing students thorough instruction on Stethoscope heart sounds.  Then to use those students in a program described by Dr Detrano, in the schools in the province of San Martin(Juanjui and the river villages).  Those students registering positive indicators will be further reviewed locally by a Luz Fund volunteer ECHO Tech and Cardiologist. Those still positive have already been pre-approved for referral to the Los Ninos Children’s Hospital, Lima, for followup, or to the heart team of Heart Care International(HCI).  HCI is a heart team from New York that visits Los Ninos Hospital twice each year to perform free heart surgeries on children who would otherwise never receive treatment, through no fault of their own.

I have been extremely fortunate, since we started this planning, to have a Portable Diagnostic Ultrasound Machine, a Seimens Acuson Cypress, donated to our organization, The Luz Fund. Now I need to obtain some good quality Stethoscopes, and Pulse/Ox probes, that can be utilized in the project. I feel that once started, this project can be carried on by local healthcare workers in a self sustaining manner, and that a person can be trained locally to obtain good results with the portable ECHO. The results will help innumerable people, who at present, have no awareness of the potential problems they may have.
Tentative dates for implementing the program in Juanjui are September/October 2014.

I would be extremely grateful for any assistance you may be able to provide or to suggest.
If you would like to be included on a future trip to Peru with us, just ask.

Chuck Mulhern,  The Luz Fund

Tel:  813-689-3289 (Home) 
Cel:  813-215-0071   
TheLuzFund@verizon.net