GLOBAL HEALTH

Global Health in Chinchina, Colombia

During the summer of 2019. . .

I traveled to Chinchina, Colombia for a volunteer global health mission through the organization International Service and Learning. The trip was an intense 10 days of working/training for 14 hours a day. Our objective was to support the rural villages around Chinchina that lacked essential access to healthcare facilities like hospitals. Chinchina’s rural area was a beautiful, hilly landscape covered in the dense dark green of coffee plants from coffee plantations. The roads were windy and family villages were dotted throughout the countryside.

While I was there, I observed and assisted in rural healthcare and learned about how healthcare was conducted from professionals in Colombia. I learned about Search and Rescue, received CPR training, and witnessed tragic scenes on ambulance runs. Between the rough rides I also got to connect with Colombia and felt the weight of Colombian culture. I was stunned at how united and resilient Colombians were in contrast to Americans, even in public settings or in passing; this experience opened my eyes to the world and gave me new meaning to what the word ‘community’ is supposed to look like.

No information or photos were recorded of actual patients attended to to respect those individuals.

Myself and my other ISL team members standing in front of our base of operations where we received our training and embarked on ambulance runs from, the Chinchina Fire Station.

What We Achieved:

Received CPR Training and proper techniques for stabilizing and securing patients to an ambulance gurney
Provided support for advanced healthcare services through ambulance response
Connected with various Colombian communities and developed an appreciation for Colombian culture

Basic First Aid Training

with the Bomberos of Chinchina and Rosia

Here the Bombero Carlos who operates the Ambulance in Chinchina is going over the equipment and organization of the ambulance. To the right are two other ISL team members and myself.

First Aid Training

Before participating in ambulance rides, we first had to understand the organization of the ambulance’s equipment along with proper procedures to take when examining patients on the way to the hospital. This included activities like taking vitals or checking the patient’s awareness/responses.

Below are various video snapshots of me receiving training for ambulance response operations. The training included examination of potentially unconscious patients, stabilizing patients and securing patients to a gurney, and CPR training both with and without a partner to assist.

Short demonstration video of practice securing a neck brace

Snap shot of training for Gurney operation and secure loading of a patient into an ambulance.

CPR Training; learning proper form for chest compressions and practicing pump rate in the event that nobody is around to assist with CPR as the ambulance arrives.

Learning proper CPR procedure for performing chest compressions with a partner on site.

Ambulance Rides

After my training, I got the chance to observe medical professionals both in and out of the hospital setting. I experienced multiple ambulance rides running throughout the city of Chinchina and the associated surrounding rural villages. Furthermore, I briefly shadowed an ER doctor as she examined incoming patients from the ambulance rides.

From these experiences, I gained a deeper appreciation for the work that the medical professionals of Colombia do in support of their community and the importance of the doctor-patient dynamic. In all cases, the priority of the ambulance drivers and doctors was to secure the patient and get them the help they needed without sacrificing safety. Doubly important was to concisely and effectively communicate with the patient at all times, from them getting into the ambulance to being treated at the hospital while reassuring them throughout the process. I witnessed many injured individuals and all of them were treated with extreme care, regardless of the situation. I was not allowed to photograph any events pertaining to patient care.

Here I am in the Cadaver Lab of Autonomous University of Manizales in downtown Manizales, Colombia. The quote on the white board in English reads: While I thought I was learning how to live, I was actually learning how to die.- Leonardo Da Vinci — Here I am in the Cadaver Lab of Autonomous University of Manizales in downtown Manizales, Colombia. The quote on the white board in English reads: *While I thought I was learning how to live, I was actually learning how to die.*
*- Leonardo Da Vinci*

Universidad Autonoma De Manizales

During my time in Colombia, I had the opportunity of observing a cadaver lab at the Universidad Antonoma de Manizales in Manizales, Colombia. I experienced bone cleaning techniques, proper and respectful handling of human cadavers, and connected my course knowledge of the human body to reality. I examined the parts of the body such as the central nervous system, skeletal system, and renal system.