The 2002 Spring Tuberculosis Delegation
visit to the DPR of Korea (North Korea), marked a milestone in EugeneBell's
efforts to help tuberculosis hospitals and care centers. Thanks to generous
donors, we were able to send ten more "New Packages" of diagnostic
equipment, medication, and agricultural support along with our regular
shipment of "Re-supply Packages" to institutions already in the
program. By expanding to ten new institutions, for the first time, our
"Package Program" reached more than a half of North Korea's 80
odd tuberculosis treatment facilities. Now people seriously ill from tuberculosis
do not have to travel nearly as far to reach hospitals and care centers
where they can be treated with the WHO recommended DOTS medication program
and benefit from modern diagnostic tools.
An expanded program of assistance also
means EugeneBell tuberculosis delegations have to stay in North Korea longer
and travel further if they are to reach all the medical facilities in the
program. After consultations with the Ministry of Public Health officials
who sponsor our visits, it was decided that we would make site visits in
the western half of North Korea in the spring and the eastern half in the
fall. Based on this plan, our 2002 Spring Tuberculosis Delegation visited
sites between and including Shinuiju City in the northwest to Kaesong City
in the southwest.
All total, we visited 27 sites during our three-week stay, while logging almost 3,000 km on our vehicles. The trip was not easy, especially on us older members of the delegation! Still, at every site we were reminded again how important it is to make the effort to come. Without a first-hand look at the local situation, we would not be able to address the problems that are particular to each hospital and care center. But more than matters of maintenance are matters of the heart. It is so important to make contact with the dedicated North Korean care givers whose selfless sacrifices are the foundation of tuberculosis care. Each visit is an opportunity to meet and encourage old friends and a chance to make new ones.
As we were preparing to leave North Korea, each member of the delegation carried back their own special memories of what had been a long and difficult but rewarding visit. The challenges facing medical work in North Korea are as immense and the future uncertain. Still, everyone agreed that this chance to help North Korea's tuberculosis patients had been more than worth the effort.