In 25 years of being associated with the Roberto Clemente Health Clinic, I’ve written to you about many things…
- the quiet heroism of our team treating a sick child in the middle of the night,
- the joy of a healthy birth in a place far from any hospital,
- the gratitude of a family whose loved one survived a serious accident because our clinic was there.
But I have never written about anything like what I must share with you today.
Last month, our small rural clinic became the emergency triage center for a mass casualty event – the first in our history.
An open-air bus lost control on a steep, nearby dirt road and overturned, throwing passengers – adults and children – onto the ground. Many sustained serious injuries: fatal head trauma, broken limbs and burns, and a severe laceration. Yes, tragically, one person – a mom whose kids were also hurt – did not survive.
As the closest medical facility, our on-duty staff responded to the accident immediately. They stabilized the patients, however possible, and coordinated transport to the hospitals in Rivas and Managua – using our ambulance and their own personal vehicles. Non-medical clinic staff dropped everything and stepped in wherever they were needed. Every pair of hands was put to work.
When it was over, our supplies – and our team – were depleted. Our entire staff was left shaken. As many non-medical staff had to pitch in wherever they could and certainly had never witnessed anything like that before. We’ve since brought in counselors to help everyone process what they experienced, and we are deeply grateful for their support.
Looking Ahead
This tragedy has prompted honest and important conversations among our leadership, our team, community leaders, and business owners – including many in the thriving tourist industry there. How do we establish clear emergency alert protocols – between affected families, the broader community, professionals, and even local media? How do we prepare our non-medical staff to provide more meaningful clinical support in a mass casualty situation? How do we build and maintain emergency supply reserves? And how do we all practice – through community drills, for events like earthquake response, for example.
This summer, our US CEO Dr. Borich will make a special trip to Nicaragua to work directly on a community-wide emergency communication and preparedness protocol. In the meantime, we are not waiting: we have begun rebuilding and expanding our supply and equipment inventory, and our non-medical staff have started additional first aid training.
These immediate steps carry real costs, and they are placing a strain on this year’s budget. That is why I am writing to you today.
Your donation will go directly toward replenishing our emergency medical supplies, purchasing new equipment, and funding the training and preparedness programs now underway. Contributions are tax-deductible in the United States.
For the families who live more than an hour from the nearest hospital – many of them mothers with young children – the Roberto Clemente Health Clinic is not a backup plan. It is the only plan. This event was a painful reminder of that reality, and of the responsibility we carry. The Nicaraguan community told us how grateful they were that we were there.
We will be there again, with your help. We are 100% private donor-supported.
With deep gratitude and a heavy, hopeful heart,
Julia C. Guth
Chair of the Board, Roberto Clemente Health Clinic
[email protected]