On February 28, 2009 Waves of Health returned to Dajabon, Dominican Republic. Board members Dr. Chris Boni, Dr. Humberto Jimenez, Nurse Practitioner AnnaMarie Matos and Interpreter Marsil Suriel, led a team that included Dr. Khilly Kurusa, Dr. Raj Tayal, Dr. Jackie Corona, Nurse Maria Suarez, Physician’s Assistant Denise Corona, Pharmacist Dr. Sonia Patel, Pharmacist Dr. Lesly Jurado, Translator Gladys Guzman, and Information Technologist Marcello Bonvini on an eight day mission. Once again Tomas Metz and Dra. Eldemira Ventura were their hosts.  With their valuable assistance, the Waves of Health team was able to see and treat hundreds of patients in three clinics and one nursing home.

The team arrived in Puerto Plata via Continental Airlines on Saturday afternoon. Tomas was there to greet the team and make sure the twenty two pieces of luggage containing supplies (totaling approximately 1,100 pounds) not only passed through customs but also arrived intact in Dajabon. Tomas lead the way on the 110 mile, five hour drive from the airport, arriving in Dajabon at 8:30 pm.

After a welcome dinner provided by a Community Service organization called Popularoses, the team settled into their quarters (also provided by Popularosos) at the Hotel el Castillo. Dr. Tayal courageously took the room without an air conditioning unit. All the team members had to go without hot water and shower heads for the week. The hotel had no amenities, but the proprietor, Mrs. Angela Fortuna, had sweet coffee ready everyday at 7:30 am, to see the group off.

The first day began with breakfast at the Padre Valentin Salinero clinic run by Sister Laura. As in the year before, Waves of Health used Sister Laura’s clinic and school as a base of operations. Sunday morning was spent unpacking all the supplies and setting up the Pharmacy in one of the three classrooms. Clinic began by 2 pm and did not end until 8 pm.   Nurse Practitioner AnnaMarie Matos’ first patient of the day was actually the same first patient she saw last year!

The group resumed seeing patients at the Padre Valentin Salinero clinic at 9 am the next morning, pausing only for a one hour lunch break, and once again continuing to see patients until 8 pm. That night, a home cooked dinner of a traditional hearty Dominican soup was provided by Yelenny Gonzalez in her home.

The next day the team packed up supplies and headed out to a small farming village. A pharmacy and five exam rooms were set up in the small clinic in Sabana Larga. Waves of Health had to bring everything they anticipated needing because the clinic was so poorly equipped. Basic equipment such as blood pressure cuffs were not available. Hand washing was also a challenge because of the lack of running water. Patients were seen only until 6 pm because the roads were not good enough for travel at night. The team enjoyed another home cooked dinner of traditional Dominican spaghetti that night prepared by Maritza and Leticia Sosa.

Wednesday was a day off. Tomas arranged for the team to take a short drive across the border into Haiti. After leaving Haiti, the group drove to the Northern Dominican coastal city of Monti Cristi. A hike up the mountain known as ‘Dinosaurs head’ was the highlight of the excursion. Another home cooked dinner back in Dajabon at Judge Onilda Hernandez home completed the day.

Thursday had the team returning to the small farming village of La Viga. Waves of Health was there last year. Several patients returned to be seen. One patient was especially rewarding. In 2008, Dr. Jaysingham started a treatment plan for a skin condition that a patient had been suffering from for years. In 2009 she came back to show Dr. Boni that the treatment had worked and her skin lesion was almost completely gone. Patients were seen until 8pm.  Once again, the team enjoyed a home cooked potluck dinner brought to the hotel by Popularosos.

Medical operations ended on Friday at a small nursing home in Dajabon. Nurse Practioner Matos led Dr. Kurusa, Dr. Boni, and Dr. Jurado on this part of the mission. Many of the patients had not been fully evaluated in months. One patient was not having his colostomy properly maintained. Nurse practitioner Matos was able to adjust the inadequate wound care supplies and train the local nurses in order to provide the correct care.

The mission would not have been possible without the help of our Dominican hosts and partners.

Los Populosos: Rosanna Martinez, Adid Pimentel, Raysa Metz, Tomas Metz, Ernesto Tatis, Mariela Reyes, Leonvanny Medrano, Nieves Ortega, Francisco Martinez Metz, Carmen Metz, and Dionicio Gonzalez

Desarrollo Talento y Futuro: Miguel A. Paulino, Benjamin Paulino, Santiago Tejada, Rossetty Portes, Maritza Sosa, Leticia Sosa, Leovanny Medrano, Raysa Metz, and Arisleyda Rosario

Desarrollo Talento y Futuro: Miguel A. Paulino, Benjamin Paulino, Santiago Tejada, Rossetty Portes, Maritza Sosa, Leticia Sosa, Leovanny Medrano, Raysa Metz, and Arisleyda Rosario