Integrated Health Education in Honduras. Teaching proper hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

MMI Amazon and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) worked together this week to ensure the safe arrival of important medications to the Amazon region of Iquitos, Peru. In these times, conversation and collaboration is even more important so we can respond to the increasing heath care needs in our world.

MMI Dominican Republic is responding to COVID-19 by donating surplus supplies and medications to local hospitals who are short on these items. A delivery was made to the Santiago hospital this week. The local team is planning 3 community outreaches even though North American participation will be unlikely in the coming months. Would you consider a one-time or monthly donation in lieu of going on a project this year? Please visit www.mmi.org/donate
Our goal is to raise $66,000 to support MMI DR through December. We are almost half way there. If you have served in the Dominican Republic, we would appreciate your support. 

Potia District Hospital has been a partner with MMI Philippines for many years. A volunteer surgical team completed a successful project at the beginning of March just before the pandemic started to spread in the Philippines. This week COVID-19 testing booths were installed outside this hospital in an effort to keep the community safe. Our prayers are with the MMI Philippines team and the hospital staff. 

The “Real Love Relief Run” visited San Martin, Zaragoza and Arara in the Amazon.
We gave instructions of how to manage distancing with a Covid-19 patient in the home. They were provided with the means to contact MMI volunteer doctors who will give instructions of how to handle the patient.
We also provided logistics and transported building material for NRC who are building stations for the Indigenous police, who will provide disinfection and cleaning process to those entering the village. Previously we were in Mochila (Peru) and San Martin, Zaragoza, and Arara (Colombia). We were able to take food packages and medicine, as well.

MMI Amazon Boats are on 24/7 standby to help evacuate patients from the villages to the Hospital of Leticia, when the local authorities have their hands full. Yesterday we helped evacuate our first patient.
We also have started an awesome partnership with Wine to Water Ministries to start to tackle together water issues in the villages of the Amazon.

The MMI Peru clinic is reopening after almost 3 months. With many changes, a move, and a re-structuring, they have reopened with all services now in one location. This is a dedicated team. Some will see patients in person, others virtually via video calls, but united in love to serve their Peruvian neighbor. We appreciate your prayers for this new stage.

The Caspian Compassion Project Eye Clinic reopened this week in Baku, Azerbaijan. They have been able to complete cataract surgeries, intravitreal injections, and children’s vision tests.

MMI Amazon is doing its “Real Love Relief Run” today, where we will deliver 178 food packages to each family of Zaragoza. We also visited Puerto Nariño and San Martin de Amacayacu. We provided each of the villages’ first responders to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in collaboration with MIRE.

COVID-19 is spreading through rural villages in the Amazon. With immediate collaboration among NGOs, efforts are building to provide relief and love in the area. Thanks to Action Against Hunger for serving with us.

MMI Amazon loads medications and supplies this morning to provide COVID-19 relief to the rural indigenous communities of Santa Rosa, Puerto Nariño, and Caballococha in collaboration with the Secretary of Heath.

COVID-19 has the potential to undo years of progress toward poverty alleviation in lower-income nations. But together, we can protect the vulnerable.

MMI Amazon is providing logistical transportation support for the Secretary of Health Department to do 400 tests to detect Covid-19 in Puerto Nariño.

Ecuador has emerged as the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in South America. MMI center Hospital Cristiano De Especialidades - Fundamisc near Guayaquil plans to reopen Monday morning to respond to the significant health care needs in the community. Donations have been directed to the hospital to ensure proper protection to keep staff and patients safe.

Today MMI Amazon was able to stock the Health Post of La Chorrera with medicines and medical supplies. The Health Post of La Chorrera serves 23 indigenous villages of the Igaraparana River. Yesterday they put out an SOS, because they where running out of medicines, supplies and did not have protective elements to treat Covid-19 patients. Ramiro and his wife Mariluz, missionaries in the region, gave the medicines and supplies to Ericka and Angel who work at the Health Post. Thank you to each one of you who have walked alongside us showing Real Love Real Life to the people of the Amazon.

Medical Ministry International Peru operates a Physical Therapy, Optical and Dental Clinic in Arequipa for those in need of affordable, accessible health care. Clinic doors are closed at the moment, but Tania Catacora and her team continue to minister to the health and well-being of their patients through online Physical Therapy sessions with regular clients and through the delivery of Love Bags with basic food and hygiene items families cannot afford right now. As a result, families are staying home and deferring limited funds to electricity or rent.

Our project teams may be postponed for the time being, but the MMI Amazon team is actively responding to the needs in the community by securing a supply chain for protective elements or any other medical related needs of the First Responders. The border between Colombia and Brazil is still closed, but with MMI ID badge in hand, God is making a way for us to cross the border and carry on our mission.

Despite the circumstances, we at MMI Peru know that it is very important to continue with each of our patient's follow-up and progress. The rehabilitation team remains in constant communication with each of them, that's why here we will share some guidelines and exercises that they have been doing at home. We are very happy to continue to monitor progress and also grateful for all the blessings that year by year we can receive and share them with patients, such as wheelchairs, paradors, splinters, and so on.