Search: 

Basic Health Care

The Herb D. Valentine Medical-Psychological Clinic

The Herbert D. Valentine Clinic (HDV Cllinic) began in 1999 through the combined efforts of the Kaqchikel Presbytery, the Baltimore Presbytery, and the InterChurch Medical Assistance-World Health Association. Meant to alleviate post-war suffering of indigenous Guatemalans in rural areas, the HDV Clinic still brings basic health care to villages served by the Kaqchikel Presbytery as a sign of God’s love made real on earth.The Clinic is staffed by a medical doctor, a nurse, a naturopath, a social psychologist, and a lab technician. They meet the basic medical needs of over 1,400 women, men and children in Chimaltenango and in the rural communities associated with the Kaqchikel Presbytery.

Ronaldo Similox, the Clinic Director, oversees the Clinic and all its outreach programs.

Clinic Outreach to Rural Guatemalans

My Healthy School Program

• Reduces rampant childhood anemia in 3 rural schools (about 400 students)
• Tracks students’ growth & blood hemoglobin
• Supplements malnourished diets with a high-protein, multi-grain drink, vitamins, and healthy snacks
• Teaches good nutrition to students’ mothers
• Teaches & promotes good oral hygiene
• Administers anti-parasitics to ailing children

 

Natural Medicines – Reviving Ancient Mayan Remedies

The HDV Clinic Herbalist, doña Felicitá, researches and uses a wide range of natural plant remedies. The organic treatments are more readily accepted, they reduce incidence of overdosing with western medications, revive pride in the vast medicinal knowledge of Mayan people, and work quite well on common complaints of irritated eyes, cough, skin eruptions, minor muscle pain, and vitamin deficiency.

Village Medical Visits

Transportation is a constant challenge to rural indigenous people who lack vehicles and/or bus fare. The HDV Clinic brings medical care to villages in two ways:

Through a system of trained village health promoters & Through village medical visits to communities by the doctor and nursing/naturopathic staff.

Making basic health care available at low rates, Dr. Gabriela also builds relationships of trust with the traumatized people. Her health promoters provide basic hygiene and first aid in the doctor’s absence, and refer serious patients to trusted medical sources.

Laboratory Services

A part-time lab technician now can culture conditions in blood, urine or feces with donated and up-graded instruments. Where diabetes, anemia, and inflammation due to stress are common, this lab facility is key to better health.

Pregnant Mothers Program

Guatemala has the third highest rate of maternal mortality in the world! Health Promoters, with additional training in obstetrics and post-partum care, work with the doctor to provide pre-natal care, family planning, and women’s reproductive rights. Machismo, cultural norms, ignorance and inaccessible maternity care have added to Guatemala’s culture of violence against women. The HDV Clinic, as an outreach of the Kaqchikel Presbytery, practices care of the poor in very important ways.

---