Reflections on Health Care Exposure

C.W.

Where to begin with health care in Nica? I was taken aback by the lack of
equipment and the basics (sheets, wheelchairs, etc.) at the urban León hospital.
I was comforted by the warmth and purpose of the rural Santa Rosa casa materna...I have seen very few places like these in the U.S. The infrastructure in Nicaragua is not available.

Jess

The quality of healthcare is absolutely frightening, but I feel like it follows the standard of living that most people have. The only thing I know to compare Nica´s healthcare to is the U.S., and I don´t really feel it is appropriate to refer to the U.S. as the standard model. At this point I feel too shocked and not fully equipped to have solid arguments.

Isha

The visit to the hospital was informative but also a shocking experience. It was indeed sad to see the main hospital in León operation without necessary equipment and moreover without the basic necessities like bedsheets, stethescopes, etc. It was hard to believe that even donated erquipment didn´t always arrive in working condition. It was shocking to me especially because the government hospitals in my nation depend a lot on foreign donations, and it was difficult for me to image the impact of these problems on the health of the people.

Toni

I was very shocked to learn that even the hospital doesn´t have enough equipment
(gloves, sheets, etc.). It was also shocking to learn that people thought they
were helping by sending equipment that didn´t even work! I want to do so much to
help these people, but there are many problems associated with health care: It´s
a problem with infrastructure.