I am writing about my recent trip to San Benito in Honduras. Although the trip was only for 3-4 days there was a lot accomplished. There were 2 large suitcases of medicines, supplies and children’s clothes that were brought down. Thursday and Friday were spent at the clinic in the mornings talking with various people in the clinic about their needs and how the clinic was doing. Thursday afternoon Hernan and I spent several hours going over the long list of medicines that we had sent down the last time, looking at what the most pressing needs were and what we might delete from that list, decrease, or increase. This was very productive from my standpoint.  I plan to send this week the list to MAP from who we get the majority of our medicines.

In general the clinic looks the best is has for a long time with the new roof and the interior being recently painted and some of the furniture being re upholstered. It was clean. The smell that had been there from the septic system was gone. All the light bulbs had been replace with long lasting energy efficient ones. The attitude is very positive.

I met a doctor who had worked in several other clinics in the past and she told me that this is the best place that she has ever worked. The medicines and equipment the doctors need to provide the quality of care that she wants to provide are available. The attitude is very positive. There is respect for the patients and other employees.

Because of the reputation of the clinic the government frequently elects to initiate “pilot” programs in San Benito.

Hernan Reyes is more present and available than his predecessor and people are constantly coming to him with questions or needs that they have, knowing that he will respond to them.

Hernan instituted a monitoring system in the pharmacy reviewing daily the number of prescriptions that are written, the medicine, and the quantity in order to minimize any potential for abuse of the drugs they receive for the poor patients. The person now working in the pharmacy is a nurse who has more familiarity with the medicines and the diseases, etc.

There is a vaccination program that they were starting for that area. There were instructions in the room that is used as a class room at the clinic.

There were people putting chemicals in small plastic bags. These would be put in the standing water as they go from house to house to prevent the larvae of the mosquitoes from developing as part of their insect control program.

They were about to start a pilot program for adolescents that would keep them separate from the other patients and would deal with them for acute care problems as well as education about prevention of smoking, alcohol,  drugs, pregnancy, and STD’s. there would be continuity of care by the health care provider for more privacy and to develop relationships.

There are 2 lawyers (each part time) assigned to the clinic to help with the legal needs of the abused women and their children so that they could get out of this physically and legally. There is space needed for this.

There was another group of international people visiting the clinic and they were going to use the clinic as a pilot project. They were going to show the people who work in the clinic and then move to their homes the information needed to grow small vegetable in a small area without the use of fertilizer. This project had been successful in other countries in helping people feed themselves.

There were multiple other small projects that Hernan was involved in doing in segments because of the cost.

All in all it was very positive and what was and has been accomplished over the years is very impressive.

Whenever we met anyone Hernan was careful to tell them that the role of the Catholic Church, the Passionists, and the Cardinal were all being represented in the clinic

I hope this give you a flavor of what is being accomplished daily in and through the clinic.

- Elliot Casey. M.D.

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