Mano a Mano has started construction on a new clinic in the community of Guadalupe, Bolivia (municipality of Santa Rosa, province of Sara, department of Santa Cruz). The community has a population of 1,400 and is an 8-hour drive from Cochabamba. Clinic construction just began and is currently about 2% complete, but it is projected to be completed in 4 months (we have built 176 clinics throughout Bolivia, and the timelines and process are very well established; of course, there may be some unexpected challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Every Mano a Mano project is a partnership: thank you to our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Bolivia, who oversees the process of building clinics from start to finish; the local community of Guadalupe and municipal government of Santa Rosa del Sara that will participate throughout the process; and the US funders that provided the seed money that made this project possible!
Guadalupe Clinic – Start of Construction Photos
Right now our staff in Bolivia has been transporting materials to the site and beginning to work on the foundation.
Every Mano a Mano Project is a Partnership
A primary goal for every Mano a Mano project – whether it is a clinic, school, water project, road, greenhouse, or other project – is that it is sustainable for the long-term. Every project we do is done in partnership with the community and municipal government: they request the project, they work hand in hand with Mano a Mano during construction and provide some funding, and the project is turned over to them upon completion. It is ultimately their project.
Ongoing Funding for Mano a Mano Clinic Staff in Bolivia
With Mano a Mano clinics, they become part of the Bolivian healthcare system and are the official provider for their catchment area, making them eligible for services and reimbursement through Health Ministry-funded programs. All staff salaries in Mano a Mano’s clinics are paid for by sources within Bolivia. We have over 525 doctors, nurses, and dentists working in Mano a Mano’s network of clinics, and Mano a Mano does not pay for any of them on an ongoing basis. With this partnership agreement, we can ensure that there is stable funding in place, and we can continue to complete new infrastructure projects in communities that currently do not have local access to care. (We have a number of other clinic projects underway or with signed agreements.)
Improving Access to Health Care for Rural Bolivian Communities
With each clinic Mano a Mano builds, the goals are the same:
- Improve maternal and infant health.
- Increase the number of medically-assisted births.
- Easier access to family planning services.
- Access to primary care and immunizations.
- Stronger preventative care and public health education.
- Improve access to government public health programs.
- Permanent training of health personnel.
Health Education Programs to Complement Clinic Construction
A critical component of Mano a Mano’s health program in Bolivia is to provide health education:
- to communities through weekend health clinics providing basic services
- to Mano a Mano’s clinic staff through continuing health education workshops
- to medical professionals from other organizations
These programs are managed and administered by Mano a Mano Bolivia, and serve a complementary role to the construction of community clinics throughout rural Bolivia.
Providing Medical Supplies & Equipment
We also continue to provide medical supplies and equipment sent from Minnesota to Mano a Mano’s network of clinics.