*A translation in Spanish follows. Se puede incontrar el texto en Español abajo.* 

Malteser International Americas (MI Americas) has made a pointed effort to reach many neighborhoods in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, bringing medical care to migrants and returnees who would not otherwise have access to the healthcare system.

During a medical brigade visit carried out in the town of Bonda, our medical team crossed paths with Oswaldo José Tineo Sánchez, a 51-year-old Venezuelan migrant who was in extreme pain while walking due to a previous fracture, which resulted in a painful removal of steel plates and screws in his right leg.

Like many Venezuelans, Oswaldo was forced to leave his country and start from scratch in Colombia. Three years ago, he and his wife Lisbeth and their eldest son moved to the city of Santa Marta in search of a better quality of life.  Working as day laborers, they’ve managed to get ahead and start building a better future for themselves.

Five years ago, Oswaldo had an accident when he was coming home from work in Puerto la Cruz, Anzoátegui state, in Venezuela, which resulted in a fracture in his right leg. He underwent surgery and steel plates were inserted to fortify his leg. But over time, due to the nature of his work in the field, he over-exerted his leg and the steel plates started to close loose, to such an extent that by the time he had been in Colombia for a few months, the steel plate began coming out of his leg, exposing him to infections and excruciating pain.

After the MI Americas professional team carried out Oswaldo’s medical assessment, it was essential that treatment should begin immediately due to the severity of the situation: if it would have gone untreated, the infection would have spread and the risk of losing his leg would have been high. As part of the treatment, he was given necessary medications, including antibiotics, pain medication, and supplies for home treatment. In addition, a medical professional from our team was assigned to carry out an exhaustive follow-up regimen to ensure the recovery process went smoothly.

On many levels, this intervention not only allowed Oswaldo to keep his leg, but also to anchor himself more steadily to Colombian society, which will allow him and his family to have access to services like these in the future, should they need them.

Due to his situation as a migrant in Colombia, he could not access medical services before, so he had to buy medicines every 8 days that cost around $45,000 thousand Colombian pesos ($12 USD) to mitigate the pain and heal the wound. Working as a day laborer, there were times during which his income would force him to make difficult choices, often forfeiting his health in the process.

Oswaldo and his family received assistance in navigating the healthcare system in their area of Santa Marta, where, and were also guided through the administrative process to regularize their situation with the Colombia government.

Today, after many months of pain and fear of losing his leg, Oswaldo walks pain-free, and will make a full recovery. Oswaldo is smiling again and, together with his family, he has returned to the field where he continues to work to provide for his family.

Listen to Oswaldo in his own words. 

Escuche a Oswaldo en sus proprias palabras. 

##En Español abajo. In Spanish below. ##

Malteser International Americas (MIA), se ha esforzado por llegar a muchos lugares de la ciudad de Santa Marta, Colombia, llevando atención médica a migrantes y retornados que no cuenten con acceso al sistema de salud.

Durante una brigada realizada en el corregimiento de Bonda, nuestro equipo médico le brindó atención a Oswaldo José tineo Sánchez, un migrante venezolano de 51 años de edad, quien solicitaba apoyo en su proceso de recuperación, debido a una operación realizada para la extracción de placas de acero y tornillos presentes en su pierna derecha, por antecedente de fractura. A Oswaldo, caminar le generaba intenso dolor.

Luego que los profesionales de MIA realizaran la valoración médica, se le inició el tratamiento inmediatamente ante el alto riesgo de pérdida de su pierna por la presencia de infección. Se le entregaron los medicamentos necesarios, incluyendo antibióticos, medicinas para el dolor e insumos para las curaciones en casa. Además, se dispuso de un profesional para la realización de seguimiento exhaustivo que permitiera conocer en detalle el proceso de recuperación y la entrega de medicamentos e insumos que fueran necesarios. Hoy Oswaldo no presenta absolutamente nada de dolor al caminar, su pierna cicatrizó adecuadamente, no hay rastro de infección y ha retornado a sus actividades en el campo.

Asimismo, se le brindo a él y a su familia la orientación necesaria para acceder a diferentes tipos de servicios ofrecidos por las autoridades locales de Santa Marta y regularizar su situación con el estado colombiano.

Como muchos venezolanos, Oswaldo se vio en la obligación de salir de su país y empezar desde cero en Colombia. Junto a su esposa Lisbeth e hijo mayor, hace tres años se radicaron en la ciudad de Santa Marta, en busca de una mejor calidad de vida.  Trabajando como jornaleros han logrado salir adelante y empezar a construir un mejor futuro para ellos.

Hace cinco años Oswaldo presentó un accidente cuando regresaba de su trabajo en Puerto la Cruz, estado Anzoátegui, en Venezuela, presentando una fractura en su pierna derecha, por lo que tuvo que ser operado, pero a los meses de estar en Colombia su pierna se vio afectada por los grandes esfuerzos que realizaba en su trabajo, a tal punto que era visible parte de la placa de acero que allí tenía, exponiéndose a infecciones y mucho dolor.

Por su situación como migrante en Colombia, no pudo acceder a los servicios médicos, de manera que debía cada 8 días comprar medicamentos que costaban alrededor de $45.000 mil pesos colombianos para mitigar el dolor y sanar la herida, hubo momentos en los que no estaban en la capacidad de adquirir las medicinas.

Hoy, después de muchos meses de dolor y miedo a perder su pierna a causa de la fractura, se evidencia una recuperación satisfactoria. Oswaldo ha vuelto a sonreír y junto a su familia sigue trabajando fuertemente en el campo para salir adelante.