A central component of Mano a Mano’s health program is providing health education:
- to the community as volunteer health promoters
- to Mano a Mano’s clinic staff as ongoing health education
Continuing health education workshop.
Here is a look back at our health education programs in 2014, implemented by our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Bolivia:
Provided Continuing Health Education to 570 Bolivian Medical Professionals
Every year, Mano a Mano Bolivia staff and medical volunteers host continuing health education workshops for our medical staff from Mano a Mano clinics. In a typical year there are 3 workshops each for doctors, nurses, and dentists; since the program began Mano a Mano Bolivia has hosted 104 continuing education workshops.
In 2014, Mano a Mano Bolivia hosted 9 workshops, with 3 workshops each for doctors, nurses, and dentists:
- 114 doctors
- 117 nurses
- 96 dentists
Hands-on session from the doctor’s continuing health education workshop, November 2014.
Each workshop had an average of 36 attendees. In addition to the 9 continuing education workshops, Mano a Mano collaborated with Medical Educators for Latin America (MELA) on a larger acute care conference.
The International Acute Care Conference in April 2014 was the 7th conference with MELA; these conferences are available to Mano a Mano clinic staff and also to other Bolivian medical professionals. All course topics are selected by attendees. The 2014 conference had 243 participants; the 8th conference also just recently wrapped up in mid-March 2015.
Presenters and attendees at the 8th International Acute Care Conference, March 2015.
Trained 132 Volunteer Health Promoters
With every new clinic that we build (4 in 2014), Mano a Mano trains an average of 10 volunteer health promoters. These health promoters are trained in basic procedures in cases of emergencies – transporting injured patients, CPR, basic wound care, how to clear airways, basic knowledge on prevalent illnesses in their area, and how to recognize medical situations that require professional attention. We also go back to other communities where we have previously built a clinic to provide health promoter training on an ongoing basis.
In 2014, Mano a Mano Bolivia staff trained 132 volunteer health promoters.
Health Promoter training session.
Other Education & Training Initiatives
Our model of health education is well-known and respected in Bolivia; in addition to our normal education programs listed above, Mano a Mano Bolivia also implemented five additional workshops for 164 people (medical staff from municipal governments, a firefighter’s organization, and staff from a Medical Technical School) that requested training from Mano a Mano in basic emergency response, CPR, and other areas.
In collaboration with MELA, in early March 2015 we also conducted a second Advanced Trauma Management workshop.
Advanced Trauma practical session, at the Mano a Mano Bolivia office in Cochabamba, March 2015.
Courses Taught by Volunteers
Every project that we do is a huge collaborative effort. For the continuing health education workshops, the ten workshops (each 3 days in duration) had 89 volunteer medical professionals that assembled and facilitated 123 presentations; our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Bolivia organized and hosted each workshop and handled the certification process for each attendee to receive course certification; MELA collaborated on organizing and facilitating the International Acute Care Conferences, and many local Bolivian institutions provided support, including:
- Sociedad Científica de Medicina General de Cochabamba
- Colegio de Odontólogos de Cochabamba
- Colegio de Enfermeras de Cochabamba
- Facultad de enfermería de la Universidad Mayor de San Simón
- Facultad de enfermería Elizabeth Setón
Thanks to everyone that helped make these conferences, workshops, and training sessions possible!
Pictures from International Acute Care Conferences
CLICK HERE to check out photos from the International Acute Care Conferences over the years on our Facebook page.