The future of a mobile health van that serves seven economically-challenged communities on Lake Chapala’s north shore is hanging in the balance after financial funding for the service was curtailed.
The Centro de Desarrollo Jocotepec (Cedejo) van takes nurse and midwife Sylvia Flores and her team to villages such as San Juan Cosala, Mezcala and San Nicolas to attend specifically to the health needs of women. Services the team provides include family planning counseling, breast cancer screening, pap smears and general educational advice.
The center was dealt a massive blow when significant donations from U.S. and Canadian Rotary clubs – partnering with the Rotary Club of Ajijic – were diverted from the health van service and pledged toward the building of a much-needed health clinic in the Chapala neighborhood of Tepehua.
Flores says she is working to obtain new funding through grants and seeking Jalisco government and corporate support. She is also researching the possibility of aligning with another community service organization.
A grass roots group has formed to help keep the mobile health van on the road. While 20,000 pesos a month is an enormous amount from one donor, Flores says 40 committed people donating US$30 a month for a year should be enough to allow the visits to the seven needy communities to continue.
As an immediate stop-gap measure, donations are needed to fund the driver, nurse practitioner, nurse, van and equipment and supply maintenance, diesel fuel and costs of lab tests.
To donate or to learn more about this meaningful outreach program, go to cedejo.org/about and click the donations button. Those with suggestions of avenues to explore for additional funding are urged to visit the Cedejo office at Ocampo 45A in Ajijic or call (376) 766-1679.