Jordon International Aid provides mobile out patient primary care to areas of the world affected by disasters. Puerto Rico, in particular the outlying areas, such as the island off the coast of Puerto Rico, Vieques, have had slow response to provide primary medical are since Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
We plan to go for five days from July 12 to 17 to provide clinics for locals who have had no access to care. We bring literally tons of outpatient medications to restore care for HTN, DM, HLD, and to treat mild acute and subacute illnesses like asthma and various infections. Our mobile clinic can provide care for 200 patients per day and should direct one on one medical care to over 1000 patients in that period of time.
Our experience includes 11 trips to Haiti after the Earthquake, trips to Japan, and Nepal after the earthquakes there, and numerous ongoing overseas aide in Kenya and Cambodia.
Residents of the island of Vieques affected by Hurricane Maria.
We anticipate providing primary care to as many as 1000 patients in this period of time and expect that as we develop the mobile clinic, locals will learn some tools for basic self care for management of chronic illness, and that this may initiate continued trips to the island.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America. Vieques Island is an Island Municipality of Puerto Rico. This small island was badly damaged in succession by the severe hurricanes of Irma and Maria in September of 2017.
In July of 2018, Jordon International Aid (jiarelief.org) along with InternationalMedicalResponse (Internationalnmedicalresponse.org)) and health care providers from Seventh Day Adventists Medical Missions combined forces to serve the island of Vieques with 3 days of ambulatory care clinics in support of the local physicians of Vieques. Primary care services of pediatrics, gynecology, and internal medicine provided acute care and support for chronic medical problems using space from the Comedor Escolar Playa Grande as make shift clinics. Physicainas, a pharmacist, a physician assistant, nurses and physical therapists from the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico came together to support the people of Vieques as they recover from the devastating hurricanes. Residents of Vieques work in agriculture and tourism and have to rely on the main island for complex care. Their local hospital is closed due to hurricane damage and "black mold" from water damage. Over 200 patients were provided with medical supplies and primary care, in support of local physicians of Vieques. Patients expressed gratitude and stated that in many cases, the care provided saved them a day of travel off the island to obtain medical care and supplies. JIA has ongoing opportunities to serve on the Island of Vieques and other international locations.
Conditions treated included those seen in disaster recovery such as Scabies and skin disorders, common infections including dermatophytes and mild parasites, viral infections of respiratory and GI tracts and more serious bacterial infections of the skin, lungs and urinary tracts. Only one patient required care beyond the level of the clinics capability and required transfer by paramedics to the main island. House calls for the non ambulatory were also provided. The ability to provide international care in areas recovering from disaster is generally very well received and allows doctors to realize the privilege they have to go anywhere in the world and be of value to those they server.
