<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Maria Hamlin Zuniga</b> <span dir="ltr"><a href="mailto:maria@mundonica.com">maria@mundonica.com</a></span><br><br><br>-Here is new information on the work of Dr. luther Castillo, following<br>
up on the Exchange article on July 8th.<br>><br>> Before and After -hospital<br>><br>> August 11 - Despite objections by local Garifuna communities,<br>> Honduras' defacto government is moving to take over the first and only<br>
> Garifuna-managed hospital in the country, ousting its current staff.<br>> The facility-built by Dr. Luther Castillo, other Garifuna doctors,<br>> local architects, and the communities themselves-is located in the<br>
> remote coastal municipality of Iriona.<br>><br>> Last week, says Dr. Castillo, the defacto ministry of health notified<br>> hospital staff that the facility was being downgraded to a health<br>
> center "under new management". "They told us that the Garifuna<br>> staff-both doctors and locally-trained nurses aides-will be fired," he<br>> told MEDICC. "These measures would condemn to death many of our old<br>
> and seriously ill people, and stop all outreach and prevention<br>> services."<br>><br>> However, he said the staff is staying put, and vows to continue<br>
> working, even without the small stipend the government had provided in<br>> the past and with no guarantee of medicines or vital supplies.<br>><br>> "We will not abandon our people," said Dr. Castillo. "These are the<br>
> poorest of the poor, the invisible poor. They are the real victims of<br>> the coup," he told MEDICC."And they are the reason so many of our<br>> young people decided to become doctors in the first place."<br>
><br>> Some 300 representatives of local Garifuna governments gathered last<br>> week to support the hospital and its staff, and have declared they<br>> will not recognize the defacto government's takeover move.<br>
><br>> The Garifuna hospital officially opened in December 2007, under an<br>> agreement with the government of President Manuel Zelaya, and in<br>> accordance with an International Labor Organization covenant that<br>
> supports locally-managed health services for indigenous and tribal<br>> peoples. Since then, according to Dr. Castillo, the ten Garifuna<br>> doctors staffing the hospital have treated over 175,000 cases. The<br>
> physicians-all graduates of the Latin American Medical School in<br>> Havana-attend patients at outlying clinics and on regular home visits.<br>> The original government agreement permitted this medically underserved<br>
> region to rely on hospital services, including birthing, surgeries,<br>> hospitalization, dental care and laboratory tests.<br>><br>> TAKE ACTION NOW!<br>
><br>> MEDICC is joining other U.S. organizations such as Global Links<br>> (<a href="http://www.globallinks.org/" target="_blank">www.globallinks.org</a>) to stand with the staff and over 30,000 patients<br>
> of the only Garifuna Community Hospital in Honduras.<br>><br>> Here's what you can do:<br>><br>> 1) DONATE to keep the hospital alive. Your donation to Honduras'<br>
> First Garifuna Hospital will help pay small stipends to physicians and<br>> nurses' aides, and help stock the hospital with essential medicines<br>> and supplies. (Donate Here)<br>
><br>> 2) SPEAK UP! Take this message to your city council, labor union,<br>> student or professional organization, asking them to pass a resolution<br>> in support of the Garifuna Indigenous Hospital in Honduras. Send these<br>
> resolutions to us, and publicize them in your local media and on the<br>> web.<br>><br>> 3) GET READY TO GO on a delegation to Honduras as a "Witness for<br>
> Health" to help guarantee the safety and rights of the Garifuna<br>> hospital staff. More information coming soon.<br>><br> 4) Keep Honduras in the public eye: Circulate this alert widely. GO ON<br>
> THE WEB: use your blogs, listservs and networks to get the word<br>> out.<br>><br>></div>