Profiling Tepehua

By Moonyeen King
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tepehua-april14Public Health care is provided to all Mexican Citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution. Care is either fully or partially subsidized by the Federal Government, depending on the person’s employment status.

The IMSS (Institute Mexicano del Seguro Social) health care program is a tripartite system funded by the employee, private employer and the federal Government. Anyone can apply for IMSS status. 

The health inequality amongst the population is influenced by the socioeconomic factor. Mexico has witnessed great progress in its health care system, and Americans receiving care here declare it is as good as anywhere. This care does not reach the poor, for whom the bus fare to the facilities is beyond their reach. Bus fare to and from Guadalajara from Chapala is just under 100 pesos. Workers earning forty pesos an hour cannot afford the luxury of good health.

Most of the free facilities are understaffed and overworked, and the waiting for service can be hours. The smaller free facilities outside the cities are not equipped for laboratories, radiography equipment etc, so people are forced to take that bus into the city. Or pay for the equipped clinics.

The need for health Insurance in Mexico is a comparatively new concept, brought about by the influx of foreigners, but certainly prohibitive for the masses. The free Clinic of the Tephua Centro Comunitario is open to the poor, those masses under the poverty line, which is hard to define.

The writer would like to draw attention to the very fine professionals who donate their valuable time, and would like to echo the feelings of the people.

  • Dr. Carlos Rodriguez, who helped license the clinic and serves the people every Friday.
  • Dr. Joe de Leon who is our Consultant and Dr. Santiago, M.Ds who give one day a week.
  • Dr. Geo. Ruwwe, who also deals with pain management and pulls teeth in a floppy flowered hat to make it less frightening for the children.
  • Dr. Manuel Garcia Baron. Dr. Marlen.C.Perez Cerda, Wanda Cowlishaw Dental Hygienist and her assistant Lindy White,
  • Dr. Tony Pinto, who will see the people of Tepehua free at his eye clinic near Maskaras Clinic, and Lulu Garcia’s new Laboratories in the Plaza Maskaras, who does the lab tests for the Tepehua Clinic...a huge round of applause to all of them for the selfless use of their valuable time. Thank you is not big enough for the relief they bring to the people.

We need more dental assistance at the center, and extra doctors, because the people overwhelm the doctors on hand. If you are retired and would like to help as consultants, please contact Moonie.

 

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