Inter-American Health Alliance

 In late 2002, a group of Guatemalan and foreign students and doctors partnered with community members to revitalize an abandoned mission clinic located in a primarily Mayan-Quiche community outside of Quetzaltenango. The area residents had no local access to public medical services and limited resources to obtain care. The team began by bringing groups of primary school students to the clinic, combining health education with clinical care to address the high rates of childhood malnutrition and diarrheal diseases. Between June and November 2002, free medical services, medications, and basic health education classes were provided to over 1,000 children from the local public schools.

In 2004, the project became known as Primeros Pasos. The clinic and its staff continued to expand its reach into all areas of the Valley, develop new projects and services, and identify trends in the health of the communities. Years later, Primeros Pasos remains the only comprehensive and affordable source of local health care in the area and has extended their programs to include medical, dental, and lab services to both adults and children, and offers health education classes year-round to participating schools and community groups.

As we provide free medical and dental healthcare to the 4,067 children of our Healthy Schools program as well as keeping costs to a bare minimum for the 4,500 walk-in patients Primeros Pasos treats every year, we can only do so with the generosity of donations.

With your collaboration, we will be able to persist in upholding our mission of providing high-quality and low-cost comprehensive services to the vulnerable residences of the Palajunoj Valley.

 

Inter-American Health Alliance

The Inter-American Health Alliance is Primeros Pasos's partner organization in the United States.

IAHA envisions a Guatemala where:

All people, regardless of socio-economic background, have access to integrated, culturally and linguistically appropriate health care information and services that they both want and need.

Evidenced-based health care interventions are the norm, a culture of continual health care education is promoted and the next generation of practitioners are aware of and equipped to address the public health challenges facing their communities.

Women are empowered health care advocates able to make informed health decisions for themselves, their families and their communities.

The next generation is born free from disease and thrives during their first few critical years of life, having access to comprehensive preventative health care services.

The public and private sectors collaborate to ensure a healthier population.