Push for generic leishmaniasis drug
International staff: 9
National staff: 45
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Quality health care is still not assured for people living in
Peru's isolated rural areas and urban slums. In woodland
areas, diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as leishmaniasis
is difficult and expensive; while lack of means and precarious
social conditions in urban areas often impede access
to care. MSF provides care to people in both settings.
Since early 2001, MSF has diagnosed and treated cutaneous
and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease
of the skin and mucous membranes transmitted by
manta blanca sandfly bites, in San Martin de Pangoa, Satipo
province. Some 250 patients were treated in the year ending
July 2002. MSF does active case searching, treatment and follow-
up, and trains local medical staff. Through its Access to
Essential Medicines Campaign, MSF is also working with the
Peruvian authorities to introduce generic sodium stibogluconate,
an effective and affordable treatment for this disease.
MSF is working in four districts of the capital Lima to
improve access and quality of care for people with HIV/AIDS
and to promote prevention of this and other sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs). At Maria Auxiliadora Hospital, the
team offers outpatient consultations and trains local medical
workers in counseling and integral care for AIDS patients.
Activities include home visits, counseling and treatment of
opportunistic infections. A second HIV/AIDS and STD prevention
and care program is run in Lurigancho prison,
Lima's largest and most overcrowded jail. MSF's Access to
Essential Medicines Campaign is also working with the
Peruvian network "Colectivo por la Vida" to increase access
to affordable antiretroviral medicines.
After working for five years to address sexual and reproductive
health, child abuse and violence in the Lima slum
Villa El Salvador, MSF transferred its project to the Ministry
of Health in March 2002. A new MSF program started working
with some of the poorest neighborhoods in July 2002 to
support children and adolescent victims of violence and
sexual abuse.
MSF has been present in Peru since the end of 1985.
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