Growth and immunization charts are kept for the children. Family planning methods are discussed with the adults. Ongoing health education is provided based on the family's individual needs. The needs in Montero seem very great. The open market is littered with garbage and puddled with stagnant water.
Dogs roam freely amid the flyspecked meat carcasses hanging in the hot sun.
Many homes in the barrios have no indoor plumbing or running water. Animals and children live together on tiny plots of land. Yet, in the midst of an overwhelming public health challenge, there is a sense of hope in this community, thanks to the Andean Rural Health Care Center. The dedicated staff members proudly share the center's accomplishments, passing around a certificate for achievement in reducing tuberculosis. Many more people now have access to running water, they tell us.