Sections
Text
Image
Guatemala 2023 Participants
Text

Guatemala 2023

2023 witnessed a reduction in concern for COVID-19 infections and severity which allowed the Shasta Community Health Center (SCHC) Family Medicine Residency to again travel internationally to present educational experiences to midwives and birthing attendants.  SCHC kindly supported this international humanitarian effort.

Text

This year, we partnered with Maya Midwifery International to train 75 indigenous Mayan midwives the principles of neonatal resuscitation using curriculum from the AAP’s Helping Babies Breathe.  Three senior residents, Dr. Landin Hagge, Dr. Bryan Messenger and Dr. Kamal Iftikhar were full participants and trainers, highlighting the excellent training they have received in the Family Medicine Residency Program.  Dr. Debra Lupeika,  Residency Program Director and Dr. Doug McMullin, past Associate Program Director also traveled and taught.  Erin Cullop, RN and Renee Hubmann, RN – NICU nurses from Mercy Medical Center were major assets in the teaching program and demonstrated seasoned experience in newborn care.

Text

The training was optimized by a delightful lecture on perinatal nutrition by Ashley MacClean, a graduate student in nutrition at Dominican University.

The midwives of Concepcion de Chiquirichapa near Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala received the training and resuscitation equipment enthusiastically; the training team learned much about the midwives’ time tested experience in delivery and neonatal care.  Classes were held over 4 days and participants were tested and observed using bag-valve mask devices safely and effectively.  The dignity and warmth of the people at the midwifery center was astounding.  Life-long friendships and deepened cultural competency were highlights for the traveling group.

The culture of Guatemala was also experienced during a trip to Tikal, location of ancient Mayan pyramids in the northern part of the country.