Partnering for Better Health: Improving Healthcare in Guatemala
An Update on action medeor’s Development Project in Rural Communities
An action medeor employee sits down with a nurse at the makeshift Xejuyúb health care center in November 2022. ©action medeor
For nine years, Sartorius has partnered with medical aid organization action medeor, supporting long-term development projects as well as disaster relief initiatives. In 2022, the company supported a project that aims to improve basic healthcare in 14 communities in Guatemala by training assistant pharmacists, helping them care for their community’s basic health needs.
This article is posted on Sartorius Blog.
With a size of more than 100,000 square kilometers and 18 million inhabitants, Guatemala is the most populous country and the largest economy in Central America. Even though it’s a middle-income country, the security situation, inequitable income distribution and lack of access to education and healthcare pose challenges for the population.
Over six million people in Guatemala have no access to basic healthcare and the majority of doctors is based in big cities only. The country lacks medical staff who can administer medications for daily health issues. Therefore, many, mostly indigenous people in more rural areas, die from respiratory diseases, diarrhea and malnutrition – conditions that, in general, are easily treatable.
A colorful big sink was added to the health center in Nimacabaj, to help with the hygienic conditions. ©action medeor
First Milestones Accomplished
With trained personal being a major challenge in rural communities’ basic healthcare, action medeor and its local partners aim to train assistant pharmacists and help them care for their communities. In August of 2023, the first 24 assistant pharmacists finished their trainings and are now ready to help people in need.
Another part of the project focuses on infrastructure. To learn more about the basic conditions on site, a medical consultant visited all 14 communities and assessed the situation in each medical care center: While some were well-equipped and good to serve more patients, others were in poor condition and in dire need of renovations.
Consequently, reparations and renovations were initiated - some of which have already been finished. In Nimacabaj, for example, sanitary facilities were reconditioned, and a big sink was added, improving hygienic conditions significantly.
Next steps in the project, that is scheduled until September 2025, include the training of more assistant pharmacists as well as the training of community healthcare workers in regard to maternal health, treatments of basic illnesses and first aid.
