FAQs
Why Ecuador? Is there a risk to donating to a third-world operation?
Answer: More than 90% of all donations go directly to the field, on site, where decisions are being made about people’s health and where the model is being developed. We believe that there is little if any risk in donation to an organization that works in the developing world. Your donation goes farther than it would in the US, and it helps people who are categorized as the “extreme poor,” distinct from the sort of relative poverty seen in the US.
What do you mean by “health care system?"
Answer: AHD is more than just a hospital. It understands that people search out healthcare at many different levels. Although not directly responsible for other levels of healthcare provision, AHD works to develop a network of services that couple primary care services delivered out in the community with the hospital. AHD also networks with hospitals in the capital to treat the few patients who suffer from problems unable to be addressed in hospital PVM. AHD also invests in communications with local government and the community to help them understand how services in the community are provided. All this comprises the healthcare “system.”
Define self-sustaining?
Answer: In general, this means being able to support oneself. In the case of a rural hospital in the developing world where few people have the necessary income to fully pay for healthcare out of pocket, there are few examples of self-sustaining hospitals. The ones that are only care for those who can pay, but not for the extremely poor. Missionary hospitals have long been the answer to this problem. However, they are not sustainable. They always depend on outside funding from donors in the industrialized world. AHD’s accomplishment has been to find innovative funding sources LOCALLY in Ecuador that allow Hospital PVM to indeed be self-sustaining, yet taking care of everyone that comes in – poor or extremely poor.
Is the University of Notre Dame involved?
Answer: Several Advisary members are graduates of Notre Dame and AHD’s president, Fr. Ted Hesburgh, is President Emeritus of Notre Dame. The university has been a great supporter in an informal way through donations from alumni, and more formally through an article in the Notre Dame Magazine, awards bestowed by the university, and the presence of some Notre Dame students as volunteers at hospital PVM during summer vacation. Having said that, AHD has no formal administrative connection with Notre Dame. AHD also has no formal religious affiliation.
How will donations be used?
Answer: Donations have historically been used to cover the expense of direct medical care provision to extremely poor members of the community. In fact, the costs of some of these services are so small compared to the US, that some donors support AHD precisely because of the impact of their donation. For example, a cesarean section in hospital PVM costs $180. The same surgery in a US hospital is frequently over $7,000. AS AHD begins to develop this model within government hospitals, a greater investment will be made in the development of skilled personnel such as hospital directors and hospital administrators. Nevertheless, well over 90% of donations are applied on site, in the field.