March 12, 2010 – A Day of Frustrations

Today I had to go back yet again to San Salvador.  We have a medical delegation coming in a week – I’m sure you’ll hear about that!  It is a hectic and very fulfilling week while they are here!

But prior to their arrival, I need to get approval from the Ministry of Health for them to be able to bring into the country the medicines for their pharmacy.  These are just basic things they bring in – but they bring in a LOT: vitamins, Ibuprofen, allergy pills and creams, antibiotics, etc.  And the Ministry of Health is very persnickety about what they allow in.

I had already made two trips to San Salvador.  I blogged about the trip just last Friday: how I had hoped to go to pick up the approved inventory but ended up not being able to because they needed a personal solicitation letter from me.  (gee… just noticed it was my last blog).

So yesterday, Cecilia called the CSSP (Ministry of Health) again – thinking we should be approved (or not) only to be told that we needed one more thing.  Sigh.  We needed to go to another office and fill out a form asking for permission for the actual medical delegation to hold clinics here.

So Cecilia and I went – I had asked her to accompany me because I was afraid I might not be able fill out the form – or understand exactly what they needed.  She kindly obliged.  We met up with the secretary who had our paperwork handy – she pointed us to the office of the chief doctor.  We were introduced to this very nice woman who really was very helpful.  We didn’t need a ‘form’ – we needed to write a letter… from the doctor responsible for over-seeing the clinics here in Berlin.  We already had that for the medicines – but this letter needed more detail – and it would be for the approval of the actual medical delegation. 

She asked if there were doctors coming in the group.  We said we thought not… a few nurses we thought and the bulk of people were helpers.  The Chief said we should go downstairs to the nurse’s department to see if there were any requirements for foreign nurses who want to temporarily work in the country.

And sure enough – there are.   Prior to their coming, I need to obtain photocopies of each of their licenses (diplomas?) and their license cards.  This is relatively easy.  I already have one of them.  I had emailed the delegation leaders about our problems and they were quick to respond!  We did the grand experiment with a scanned card and an email sending.  The scans were clear and legible enough to print well.

So.  Tomorrow I will write the letter for the medical brigade with all the details asked for (she listed those for us).  Early Monday morning we will walk it over to the good doctor here in Berlin to ask him to sign yet another one for us.  And if I can do that early enough in the day, I will take a bus back to San Salvador to drop all this stuff off in HOPES that all will be approved at their next Wednesday meeting at the Ministry of Health.  At which point, I can pick it up on Friday. 

We’re not sure what will happen if the medicines (or the group) do not get approved.  We could sure use some prayers right about now. 

Oh… and I asked the Chief if this was a new process.  She said no – these requirements have been in place since 2004.  I told her that for the past two years the medicines were approved with only a letter from the local Berlin doctor.  And that we didn’t need approval for the actual delegation. 

She didn’t have a real response to that… other than vaguely saying we got lucky.

The adventure continues.