The network - Towards Unity For Health

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATIONSOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITYPajarito Mesa:How a ‘Little Bird’ Took FlightImagine for a moment what it would be liketo live in a community where the landscapeconsisted of miles and miles of dusty plainspeppered with humble, flat-roofed homes,and a climate too dry to support much morethan a sage bush here and there. And whatis more, imagine life there is quite challenging:no running water, no electricity, no sewage,no paved roads, no mail service and setapart from the conveniences enjoyed bypeople residing in the nearby modern city.The place I describe exists. It is the commu-Pajarito Mesa communityD E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8nity of Pajarito Mesa, a non-border colonialocated six miles south of Albuquerque(New Mexico, USA), at the rim of the maincity dump. A couple of years ago, residentsand attending physicians at the Universityof New Mexico (UNM), Department ofFamily and Community Medicine (F&CM)Mobile Clinic VanOver the course of the past couple years, ourdoctors have worked with the UNM LawSchool, the Southwest Organising Project (acommunity organisation), and with theAddressing Community NeedsA project of this magnitude has taught usmuch about the gap between the UniversityHospital setting and marginalised communities.As you may imagine, communicationN E W S L E T T E R N U M B E R 0 2 | V O L U M E 2 7caught site of Pajarito Mesa, and found thatits health needs were as vast as its stark,dusty landscape.ColoniasNew Mexico is a unique state because over50% of the population consider themselvespart of an ethnic minority. Whereas peopleof all ethnicities generally live in harmony,there is an unfortunate, but also commonnegative view regarding undocumentedminorities. Because New Mexico is situatedalong the US-Mexico border, there are manypeople who enter the USA through NewMexico without documentation, seeking abetter life for their families. Once in theUSA, many of these people live in fear thatthey may be deported and thus oftentimesPajarito Mesa community itself to make asource of clean water a reality. At the sametime, at the request of the community, UNMalso began a project to provide healthcareto the community via a mobile clinic van.The van is staffed by UNM attending physicians,residents and students. All comers tothe mobile clinic are served on a walk-inbasis.Perhaps the most important function of theclinic is to create a trusting relationshipwith the community by providing good careand then easy follow-up at a nearby establishedclinic. This helps residents of PajaritoMesa, who may have not seen a doctor inyears, to obtain a medical home that doesnot discriminate based on documentation.with the Pajarito Mesa community has, attimes, been challenging. We are constantlyreminded we are there not to impose ourideas, but to listen and respond to theneeds expressed by the community.Unfortunately, many of New Mexico’sundocumented people face financial, politicaland emotional barriers to a way of lifeenjoyed by wealthy citizens of the USA. Aswe have heard from the Pajarito Mesacommunity, helping establish a source ofclean water, and providing healthcare viaa mobile clinic were two small, yet feasibleways a large university could use itsresources and expertise to address onecommunity’s needs. While we continuepushing for ‘healthcare for all’ with all ourlive together in clandestine communitiesmight here in the USA, we can always findcalled colonias. Pajarito Mesa is such aThe mobile clinic is free of charge, andcreative and meaningful ways of helpingcolonia and is home to approximately 1500patients may be seen for routine medicalthose who need it most. In the meantime,people, most of whom are undocumentedand gynaecologic care. In January 2009 wemy ear is to the ground!Spanish speakers.will be able to provide the community withMost in the community work, pay taxes, butfree of charge basic medications, a projectErin Corriveau | Student, School oflive in fear and poor conditions. Furthermore,which was approved quietly by the Board ofMedicine, University of New Mexico,when UNM F&CM physicians conducted aPharmacy and UNM Hospital administra-United States of Americaneeds assessment in the community, cleantion.Email: ecorriveau@salud.unm.eduwater and healthcare were top priorities!14