Eighteen workers from the construction work have now been brought onto the hospital team. They include security guards, an electrician, a plumber, a bricklayer and a carpenter and we hope they will continue on with us in the long term. At present we have 31 Peruvian personnel who, in contrast to the missionaries, receive a salary in keeping with local wages.
On the 1st of April we plan to open the Surgical Department along with the hospital ward for inpatient attention. In order for this plan not to become an April Fool’s joke, there is still a lot that needs to fall into place. A big factor is whether the x-ray equipment from Siemens can leave from Germany in the first week of March and make its way to South America.
Meanwhile, the number of patients in the Outpatient Clinic has increased. As of today the following doctors are working in the Clinic : Dr. Hassfeld (gynecologist), Dr. David Brady (urologist), Dr. Martina John (pediatrician), Dr. Oliver Engelhard (medical internist), Tove Hohaus (anesthetist / currently helping in the clinic), Dr. Renate Engisch (Radiologist) and Dr Karina Herrera (dentist). Dr Klaus John (also a doctor of course!) is working in the hospital administration and is still actively drumming up support for the hospital. Still another 6 doctors will arrive in the coming months to work in the hospital.
Hopefully the remainder of the construction work will be finished by the end of April, under the supervision of Engineer Robinson Palacios.
An important part of our hospital needs are met with donations from other countries which all must pass through the Peruvian Customs Office. At the moment we are having some problems with this – just one more reason for Dr John’s visit to Lima this Thursday and Friday.
Another concern is the licensing issue for hospital personnel and for individual departments. Please pray with us that we can find officials who are willing to help us in each of these areas.