GlobeMed at UChicago

Who We Are // GlobeMed at UChicago

Founded in 2010, GlobeMed at UChicago is one of 46 GlobeMed chapters working to improve the health of people living in poverty around the world. We partner with ASPAT to advocate for high-quality TB education and care for the communities in and around Callao, Peru, and to accompany TB patients through their illness.

Our Partner // Association of People Affected by Tuberculosis (ASPAT) in Callao, Peru

ASPAT was founded 2007 by former TB patients in the northern neighborhood of Lima called Callao who recognized the need for increased support and education for people battling TB in Peru. Based on their own challenges fighting the disease with a lack of knowledge, as well as lack of support from their community and their government, ASPAT members organized to make sure the experiences they had while fighting TB would not be repeated. ASPAT's main areas of work include nutrition, education, prevention, promotion of rights and citizen participation, and increasing resources to help fight TB. Because TB has long been established as a disease of poverty, ASPAT also focuses on poverty alleviation projects throughout the community.

Our Projects // $12,000 for a statistics collection system, an education program, modular housing, awarenes posters, and a food basket program for communities impacted by TB in Callao, Peru

This winter we aim to raise $12,000 for the following projects. Your donation will go to one of the five projects designed to better the lives of poverty stricken people affected by tuberculosis in Callao, Peru.

1. TB Statistics Collection System: A novel system designed to allow ASPAT to collect basic population data from its affected demographic, allowing the basic assessment of the TB population in Callao, Peru, the region managed by ASPAT. This system includes a novel statistical collection method which will allow easy objective data collection by on site staff in Peru and the uploading of this data to a cloud based computer system, allowing data analysis to be done by GlobeMed at UChicago staff.

2. Education Program: A multifacetted education program designed ASPAT in cooperation with GlobeMed at UChicago, designed to improve TB awareness in an effort to eliminate the crippling social stigma against TB patients in Peru. Starting with 28 families affected by TB, this comprehensive program targets these families to address and train them on the issues of nutrition and how to control the spread of infection.

3. Building Modular Homes: TB is a serious problem in Peru, only worsened by the poor living conditions and lack of isolation between households. These living conditions often promote the spread of TB infection, making the disease even worse for areas already in low socio-economic standing. Modular homes are a new housing design in Peru which will help to isolate TB patients as well as provide them with beneficial and improved housing. Through the construction of these modular homes, the spread of TB can be reduced through increased isolation and much improved living conditions. 8 Modular homes are planned to be built this year.

4. Awareness Posters: In order to promote awareness of TB, posters are planned to be put up throughout the Callao area in Peru. These posters will have health information on them to educate the general public about the realities of TB, and is part of the effort to counter the deleterious social stigma against people affected by TB. Increased awareness will lead to proper care for TB patients rather than social discrimination against them, which will help benefit both the TB patients as well as reduce the spread of TB in the population.

5. Food Basket Program: A major cause of TB related deaths in Peru is the lack of proper nutrition to counter TB. Without proper nutrition, TB can easily ravage the body, causing needless deaths among those infected with TB. By designing a food basket program and delivering proper nutrition packages to families affected by TB, ASPAT and GlobeMed at UChicago can prevent TB related deaths.