The Influence of Government Negligence on the Way People Experienced Essential Services in Hospitals, Clinics, and Pharmacies After Hurricane Maria

• In Event: Participatory Action Research as Site of Student Agency, Social Transformation, and Resistance in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Over the years, the government system and the political management of Puerto Rico have laid the foundation of a precarious situation in the infrastructure of medical services. The Health department has suffered major cuts that have forced it to fulfill more functions with fewer resources. With the country being in this situation, Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Just two weeks before Hurricane Irma had passed causing considerable damage, but the night of September 20 caused irreparable damage. This triggered a series of events that, after just over two years since the atmospheric catastrophe, continue to have relevance and a sense of urgency for Puerto Ricans. In many areas, the magnitude of the crisis is attributed to the way in which the essential needs of the country were not met, including those related to its public health. In this investigative work, interviews were conducted with citizens of the Jájome Alto community in Cayey, Puerto Rico, community pharmacies in the same town, and, additionally, health professionals related to patients who are in increased risk during these events.

The issue of mental health in Puerto Rico should begin to be normalized. It is extremely necessary to stop considering this topic as a taboo and start working it on the island. As we could see in the literature review section, the number of suicides has been increasing since Hurricane Maria and this is something that is not given the necessary emphasis. Many of the aid provided after the hurricane was to fix physical and material damage on the island, no initiative was ever seen to assess the health status of Puerto Ricans after this trauma. After this investigation and seeing personally the psychological damage that this natural disaster entailed, we encourage all institutions to take action on the matter with this extensive problem that we have been dragging from Maria. It is necessary to begin to recognize mental health as a problem that has a solution if it is given the necessary attention. For this, campaigns could be created to raise awareness of mental health and its importance for the well-being of the human being, also greater emphasis could be given to the media -social networks, press, etc.-, we could create support groups in the communities or different towns on the island and finally, have a greater focus from part of the government. Currently at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey there is the Interdisciplinary Center for Student Development (CEDE), where professional counseling and psychology services are offered to students enrolled at this university. To understand the most pressing community concerns, it is necessary to carefully study the needs of each town in order to prepare themselves more efficiently when facing future hurricanes or atmospheric events of this nature. The relevance of the government taking an active role in improving the infrastructure of Puerto Rico is also contemplated, as well as the way in which our systems of response to basic needs work.

Author

• Deyaneira Laboy, University of Puerto Rico - Cayey