Today, a small community called Alto Caballero hosted a Health Fair for all the people living in the area. They expected approximately 4000 people to show up for immunizations, Pap smears, screenings, urgent care, dentistry and physicals. After the day was done, the clinic members noted that only about 600 people showed up for the event.
Our role in the health fair included taking blood pressures and pulses, giving immunizations, observing/participating in Pap smears, and taking the height and weight of the community members. Each community member had an immunization card (if it hadn’t been lost) that showed what immunizations the patient has received and when they last received it. This system seemed to work well when patients came to the immunization station. It allowed the nurses to easily identify which immunizations, if any, the patients needed. Most of the patients, both pediatric and adult, received the influenza vaccine.
By around 2:00pm the fair was starting to end. The people of the communities were starting to leave. We were informed by one of our translators that the reason the people get to the clinics so early in the morning and leave for home by early afternoon is because of the rains. It usually rained in the mid afternoon so the people tried to beat the rains. We were also told by our translator that it is not uncommon for people to walk up to 4 hours to get to the clinics.
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