We congratulate Dr. Ursula Buck and the Hospital Diospi Suyana
During the morning service, patients and staff queued up to congratulate the birthday boy. The ophthalmologist from Augsburg has been working at the Diospi Suyana Hospital for 12 years. Over 22,ooo patients have been treated in our eye clinic to date. Most of them from Dr. Buck. On her 60th birthday, we thank her from the bottom of our hearts for her valiant efforts.
The latest figures paint the following picture. By the end of 2023, the number of patient visits had risen to 521,911. Our surgeons have performed 17,272 operations. 1,151 patients required intensive medical care.
Peru has 24 federal states and the province of Callao. The following overview shows that people from all parts of the country came to Diospi Suyana Hospital for help.
Most of the patients traveled to the mission hospital from the southern states of Apurimac, Cusco, Puno, Madre de Dios and Ayacucho. Other important areas of origin for our patients are the capital Lima and the large city of Arequipa.
Interestingly, our 12 radio towers are located precisely in these regions. A bus ride from Arequipa to Curahuasi takes around 15 hours, from the city of Lima even around 20 hours.
Almost every day, there are more patients at the hospital door than can be treated by our staff. The limiting factor is essentially the availability of missionary doctors.
It is important to mention that the quality of treatment is based on the level of European and US clinics. The patients are predominantly descendants of the former Incas (Quechuas) and pay only one third of the real costs of their treatment. Financial and material donations as well as the voluntary work of missionaries have enabled the hospital to function for over 16 years. There is no comparable facility in the whole of South and Central America.
As a work of faith, we see ourselves as dependent on God. We do not ask for donations either in public lectures or in our information letters. The many coincidences and miracles in the history of Diospi Suyana encourage people from all denominations that the God of old really does exist.
In the morning service, surgeon Dr. Lukas Steffen appropriately quoted the 6th verse from the 23rd Psalm: “Your goodness and mercy will accompany me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” /KDJ
