The Divine Providence Health Centre in Consuelo was founded in 1967 by the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In its early years, the Centre looked after basic health care needs, gradually adding additional services as funding and human resources became available.

Recently a new service has been added, working jointly with the Clinton Foundation and the Ministry of Health’s program for dealing with transmissible sexual diseases and AIDS.

Pictured here is the staff at the HIV/AIDS Treatment Program (from left to right): Juana Herrera, Natividad Rosa Cordero, gsic, Juan Heredia, Dr. Francisca Vásquez, Sandra de la Rosa, Roberto Escanía and Dr.Dulce María John.

In 2006, a representative of the Clinton Foundation contacted Dr. Francisca Vásquez expressing interest in opening a center for patients affected with the AIDS virus. The program was launched in April 2006 with some 15 patients. The primary objective was to improve the quality of life of the patients and to promote their integration into society by helping them to realize their human dignity and rights.

Much of the work involves education both for the patients and their caregivers. Patients with the HIV virus learn how to care for themselves and how to protect others from becoming infected. They receive free consultation with a doctor, a psychologist and a nurse and are provided with free medication: proteins, vitamins and trimetropin sulfa.  Patients with AIDS must also take anti-retroviral medication. At present (summer 2008), there are 185 patients: 123 adults and 7 children. Fifty-three of the adults and two of the children are taking anti-retrovirals.

Frequently the staff go to schools and isolated communities in the area of the Municipality of Consuelo to talk about the prevention of the disease. Special attention is given to families where one member is infected, explaining the precautions that must be taken to prevent the spread of the disease, including the importance of a healthy diet for those on medication.

Divine Providence Health Centre is most grateful to those who have provided funds for this project. It meets a need that the public health capacity in the country is hard pressed to deal with. It is particularly hard when we do not have the medication to continue the treatment for those whom we have been monitoring.