Through conciliations with responsible organizations of the sector and by means of specific agreements, highly beneficial programs have been developed in favour of the community in general; these aim at maintaining and consolidating satisfactory levels of healthiness. With this goal in mind, contributions are made to hospitals and health posts for the acquisition of medical equipment.
In terms of health issues, Cerrejón executes an Action Plan that contemplates a Prevention and Promotion Program for the communities in the vicinity of the complex. This program aims at serving low income individuals with greater emphasis on the indigenous population, by means of health brigades and health care programs that offer health, dental and ophthalmologic care as well as vaccination, and in some cases, lab tests: in some cases medications are given for their treatment.
The number of persons that have directly benefited from medications through prescriptions is above 10.000 in 2006; this includes institutional support and strengthening of the emergency area with the delivery of medical supplies. In the same manner, over 2,000 packages with elements for dental health were given out.
By means of the health brigades, and with the support of various organizations and professionals from La Guajira, health and dental care services are provided, mainly to pregnant women, children and the elderly, in the communities located in the area of influence of the company.
The Wayúu indigenous community receives primary health care at the health posts of Cabo de la Vela, Albania and Cuestecitas, which have been equipped by Cerrejón. This program, created in 1984 in coordination with the Sectional Health Service of La Guajira and the Universidad del Norte School of Medicine, has a Mobile Medical and Dental Unit as well as other ambulance vehicles for the care of children and adults in the villages themselves.
Nuestra Señora del Pilar Hospital
In terms of infrastructure in this sector, Cerrejón has invested in the adaptation of the second level of the Barrancas Hospital, with a contribution by the company of $4163 million pesos; the co-financing for the initiation of the extension project of the infrastructure and services of the Wayúu Clinic, with a contribution of $110 million pesos; and the co-financing of the Barrancas Hospital with a contribution of US$1.7 million dollars, among others.
Comprehensive AIDS Program
Through the Cerrejón Foundation, Cerrejón reactivated a comprehensive program to enhance the level of information of the inhabitants of La Guajira and to improve the logistics of the care provided for AIDS patients in the Department, with greater emphasis on pregnant women.
In 2006 this program, with an investment above $ 200 millions, has become one of the leading programs and its outreach is permanent; it covers 15 municipalities in La Guajira in coordination with the Health Secretariat of the Department, the hospitals and the Municipal Health Secretariats; it includes training for 100.000 persons throughout La Guajira, as multiplying agents of sensitization processes of this terrible illness.
For the second phase of the AIDS program, an agreement was undersigned with the François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation. It aims at extending information to the inhabitants of the region and making pregnant women aware of the importance of testing for HIV AIDS, as well as of the care they must take while having sexual relations. The goal is to provide broader information to more than 23.000 multiplying agents.
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