Growing Pains

Our current small and really awkward training area

The clinic is running out of space for the volume of patients we have coming through our doors…so one of our main goals for 2014 is to begin fundraising for and construction of the third building at the clinic.

Right now we have the first building built that has 3 exam rooms, 3 bathrooms,  an office, a room for emergency care (wounds, injections, IVs, etc.), a room to check patients in, a pharmacy, a large room for storing medicines, and a waiting area with a large corridor that stores our files.

Our second building has 2 dental rooms,2 bathrooms,  an overflow room for volunteer doctors and dentists, a eye correction room/counseling room, a laboratory, a large waiting area that doubles as a teaching area, and a storage room for equipment.

Dentist Inya in an overflow area while volunteer docs use her room

I thought we would NEVER out grow this space…I was wrong.  When we have more than one volunteer doctor or dentist that comes, we shift and scrunch to get people seen. 

 Our training area is not conducive to actual teaching and support…because other patients are walking through the training to get to the dentist or lab.

Our orthopedist needs a clean room to do some minor surgery on his patients…one that is tiled, sealed from the outside, air conditioned, brightly lit, etc.  He has patients with open ulcers that need care…cleaner care that what we can offer now.

Our orthopedist making due without a clean room

Our staff of 15 huddle in the office to grab their lunches instead of having a room that they can gather in to eat…most cannot go home for lunch and there are no restaurants in the area…you have no idea how funny that idea is to those who have seen Nueva Vida!
Our radiologist wants to begin to do X-rays, for which we need not only the equipment, but we also need a lead lined room…who knew!  Wow!  The stuff I learn every day!  X-rays are another service greatly lacking in Ciudad Sandino.

We need more space.  This is not a big dream…oh no!  We can dream much bigger.  This is quickly becoming a necessity.  -Kathleen