Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010 - 7

A TRIBUTE

Making a Sustainable Impact
Second-year	student	Shelby	Kemper’s	eight-week	 experience	in	Peru	was	much	different	than	 Henry’s,	but	no	less	rewarding.	 As	part	of	a	student-run	program,	Kemper		 accompanied	six	medical	students	to	Iquitos,	a	 town	known	as	the	gateway	to	the	Amazon.	From	 Iquitos	they	traveled	several	hours	by	boat	to		 remote	villages	along	the	Amazon	and	Napo	 rivers	where	they	 taught	villagers	 how	to	recognize	 signs	and	symptoms	of	illness	and	 when	to	seek	help.	 “By	the	time	they	 realize	that	a	person	is	seriously	ill	 it’s	often	too	late.	 Consequently	they	 have	a	tendency	to	 stockpile	antibiotics,	contributing	to	 drug	resistance,”	 says	Kemper.	

Clean	water,	as	well	as	proximity	and	access	to	 health	care	are	the	biggest	determinants	of	illness	 and	mortality.	Diarrhea	and	pneumonia	are	the	 top	killers.	 Because	of	the	remoteness	of	the	area	and	the	fact	 that	it	is	one	of	the	poorest	regions	in	the	country,	 there	is	limited	access	to	health	care.	The	one	 hospital	is	hours	away	by	boat.	There	are	three	 health	outposts	staffed	by	physicians	(most	of	the	 time)	and	six	health	outposts	staffed	by	tecnicos	 whose	role	is	similar	to	EMTs.	Then	each	village	 elects	a	health	 care	promoter	to	 be	in	charge	of	 the	health	of	their	 fellow	villagers.	 So,	equipping	the	 promoters	with	 the	knowledge	 to	triage	on	their	 own	is	crucial. “Direct	outreach	 builds	faith	in	the	 promoter	in	the	 community,”	says	 Kemper.

course	materials		 for	the	villagers.	They		 even	copied	and	bound	65		 additional	rotofolios	for	 the	promoters.	Then	they		 conducted	individual		 village	visits	for	in	home		 demonstrations. “Our	goal	was	not	to	clinic	and	triage	because	 that’s	not	sustainable.	It	was	to	help	villagers		 recognize	signs	and	symptoms	of	serious	illness	 and	get	help	before	it’s	too	late,”	says	Kemper.	 Kemper	and	the	other	students	have	their	eye	on	 2011	and	beyond.	Currently	recruiting	students	 for	a	trip	next	summer,	the	group	has	plans	to	 start	their	own	nonprofit	to	help	pay	for	their	outreach	efforts.	Always	with	an	eye	to	ensuring	that	 their	methods	are	having	a	positive	impact,	they	 are	developing	a	pre-	and	post	test	for	promoters	 to	measure	the	effectiveness	of	their	approach.	 “I	loved	every	minute	of	the	experience.	It	was	a	 total	joy	to	work	with	the	people	of	Peru.	It	was	 challenging,	but	I	left	with	a	sense	of	accomplishment…	like	we	were	laying	the	foundation	 to	really	change	lives,”	says	Kemper.	And	her	 volunteer	experience	in	Peru	has	crystallized	 what	she	wants	to	pursue	in	the	future.	Concurrent	with	obtaining	her	PharmD,	she	is	pursuing	a	certificate	in	Global	Public	Health	and	was	 recently	elected	co-president	of	Students	for	 Global	Health,	one	of	the	largest	interdisciplinary	 clubs	on	the	Anschutz	Medical	Campus.	She	is	 the	first-ever	pharmacy	student	elected	to	office	 in	the	organization.	 For	more	information	on	this	student-run	 program,	contact	Kemper	at	Shelby.Kemper@ ucdenver.edu.
Fall 2010

P-2 Shelby Kemper with children from a local village

Understanding	the	culture	and	associated		 obstacles	to	health	care	are	essential	to	making	a	difference.	CU	medical	students	have	been	 traveling	to	Iquitos	for	two	years	and	have	become	more	culturally	conscious	and	competent.	 “Descending	for	a	week	or	couple	of	weeks	once	 a	year,	triaging	patients	and	doling	out	antibiotics	 with	preceptor	oversight	might	make	us	feel	better,	but	it	fosters	dependency	and,	unfortunately,	 really	makes	no	impact	on	the	people	you’re	 trying	to	help,”	says	Kemper.	“It’s	a	temporary	 solution.”

In	order	to	make	 sure	that	they	were	providing	the	right	kinds	of	 materials	to	the	promoters,	the	students	contacted	 the	World	Health	Organization	prior	to	their	trip.	 They	were	supplied	with	25	rotofolios,	a	bound	 laminated	cartoon-like	booklet,	developed		 specifically	for	Peruvians.	 Armed	with	the	rotofolios	the	group	organized	 and	taught	three	day-long	courses	to	85	promoters	in	two	villages	located	along	the	Amazon.	The	 students	paid	for	all	transportation,	food	and

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Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Fall 2010
