Page 12 - H2H Nov 2018

groups toured the speech therapy room, the ENT room, and a dental chair room (primarily
for non-cleft lip patients.

The Arkansas contingency presented games for speech therapy and cash to purchase
mirrors.

DG Dante told the story about how cleft lip and palate work is near to his heart, as it has
been a major project in his club that the Vallejo club has now taken and expanded.

The hospital staff unveiled the new official name of the children’s pediatric area to honor
John and Judy Germ. The Ministry of Health had to officially approve naming the area.

Side note 1
Grant project primary sponsor Benigno (“Bennie”) reported that the first delivery of grant
equipment was about 10% and occurred last week, with 5% due next week and 20% in
another two weeks. They have been careful in interviewing and analyzing 8 vendors, which
they have reduced to two for purchasing. The team specialists are providing critical
assistance in helping with the equipment selections.

Side note 2
The Healing Hearts global grant (surgery for infants with congenital heart disease) draft
entry will begin soon. Bennie now understands that things don’t have to be perfectly
aligned before entry can be made. Significant progress should be made before the end of
December. US DDF funding is way behind at this point.

Tuesday, November 13

Stop 1 - Acolman Hospital for Chronic Patients

This hospital for chronically ill patients is the only one of its kind in Mexico. It provides
constant medical assistance and permanent housing to its terminally ill patients, which
distinguishes it from nursing homes (which do not provide comprehensive medical care
and usually only work with the elderly) and from regular hospitals (which provide services
for people who get treatment and then leave). The number of patients is unclear – I hear
120 then 140 then 200 – so we need clarification on both the capacity of the hospital and
the current number of patients. We were told that there is a waiting list for admittance.

Patients range in age from babies to the very elderly. These people have been abandoned
by their families, and the hospital staff becomes their only real family. The hospital has
operated for 73 years. Patients are in 12 cabins (pods) that are segregated by age and
gender. This is a state hospital that is treated for funding by the government in the same
way as a regular hospital, which means there is no accounting for (and thereby no funding
for) the differences created from full time permanent care, both in terms of equipment,
medical supplies, and ordinary living expenses (clothes, soaps, etc). Most of the
government support goes for payroll. There is not enough funding or space for all the
specialists needed, so patients must be transported by ambulance to other facilities for
some specialized care, and that can be a traumatic experience for some patients.
Ambulance trips are over 2,000 per year. Almost every adult patient has the capability to