Puerto Rico Post-Hurricane Relief and Inaugural Medical Mission
(left to right) Drs. Nancy Rodriguez-Weller, Hoai-An Truong, and Vonnie Brown, the UMES and SU team leaders from pharmacy and nursing.
Nearly two years after Hurricane Maria, and an official final death toll of 2,975 deaths, the healthcare infrastructure on the island of Puerto Rico is presently still in dire need of healthcare and clinical assistance. On June 13th through June 16th, 2019, a team of healthcare professionals consisting of 5 pharmacists, 2 physicians and a nurse voluntarily donated their time and expenses to provide just that. The project itself took several months to come to reality through collaboration with the Puerto Rican Department of Health, and Dr. Charlie Vidal, a physician who is involved in public health in the San Juan metropolitan area. The visiting clinical team consisted of Drs. Hoai An Truong, Nkem Nonyel, Nancy Rodriguez-Weller, graduates Shelby Holstein, and Antonio Romero (UMES School of Pharmacy), Carlos Benitez, (local physician and Director of the Community Clinic), Monica Lockwood (Physician from Connecticut), and Voncelia Brown (Professor - Nursing, Salisbury University). They traveled to the town of Utuado, Puerto Rico, to provide a local community with much needed medical assistance. The opportunity brought together an inter-professional and cultural experience in a clinic in Barrio Mameyes. On arrival, the team was able to do several home visits, do an assessment of each patient, and provide medication and health care counseling. The purchase of medication and medical
20 Rx TIMES > UMES
supplies was funded through a fundraiser sponsored by the Maryland Pharmacists Association, Maryland Pharmaceutical Society, University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy, and International Community Initiatives Organization. The fundraising event consisted of a live continuing education (CE) on Immunizations/Vaccination presented by Dr. Yen Dang, a dinner, silent auction, musical performance by Drs. Victor Hsia and Bi-Dar Wang and family members, and “La Maguina Insular Band” from San Juan, Puerto Rico. After the trip, a questionnaire was provided to the individuals on the team to determine the value of the mission trip. One participant commented, “I saw people whose families left them because of hurricane Maria, and we came to help them and give them hope. We have to continue to help them by raising awareness of this need, raising funds, and educating patients and their health promoters on what is important to communicate between patients and providers. There is a great opportunity for students here to practice counseling, dispensing, and teaching.” Special additional thanks for making this mission a success: Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Cultura Plenara, Dana Fitzsimmons, Shawn Collins, and Amy Howard.
