With the campaign “Navigating to the Heart of the Atrato” led by the Colombian Navy, for seven days, aboard the River Patrol Boat ARC “Guillermo Londoño”, 136 people including volunteers, media and Marines from the Naval Institution traveled 544 kilometers of the Atrato River, bringing the institutional offer closer to the communities of Bellavista, Carmen del Darién, Riosucio and Vigía del Fuerte.
During the development of this campaign, more than 5,533 people were treated, mostly members of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, who accessed more than 13,000 specialized medical services, including gynecology, general medicine, nutrition, dentistry, optometry and pediatrics. For their part, veterinary doctors who joined the humanitarian campaign provided care to 67 canines and 23 felines.
Additionally, the attendees benefited from the delivery of medicines according to medical formulas, 4,170 kilograms of powdered wellness, 2.4 tons in different donations, including items of clothing and toys, and 300 school kits, the latter, to the students of the César Conto Educational Institution, in the municipality of Bellavista, formerly Bojayá -Chocó.
In each of the sessions, awareness talks were given to the community in general, focused on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies in young people, the consumption of psychoactive substances and alcohol, forced recruitment, as well as campaigns to avoid the use of weapons. of fire, emphasizing that study, sports and recreation are tools that contribute to the construction of a future in harmony and peace. In the same way, recreation activities, sports and concerts were carried out with volunteer artists from the regions.
On this occasion, four treadmills with wheels were also donated to people who had limitations in their mobility, one of these was given to Mrs. Aurelina Romaña Chaverra, a 53-year-old woman from the district of Buchadó – Chocó, who rowed for 4 hours to cross the impetuous Atrato River to the Vigía del Fuerte municipality, in order to receive specialized medical attention, since he recently suffered a stroke that left him with sequelae in his lower limbs.
“I thank the Colombian Navy for contributing to the transformation and improvement of the quality of life of populations in conditions of vulnerability.” Aureliana Romaña expressed between laughter and tears of happiness.
The campaign “Navigating to the Heart of Atrato” was possible thanks to the joint efforts between the Fundación Corazón y Acción por Colombia, RTVC, the National Learning Service -SENA, the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare -ICBF, the Atrato Middle Antioqueño Hospital, Banco of Food of Bogotá, Colombian Civil Defense, Colgate, Christian Church El Lugar de Su Presencia, Ríos de Agua Viva Christian Church, Family Police Station, local Ombudsmen, Offices for the Elderly, Health Secretariats, advisory offices of Development Programs with Territorial Approach -PDET in the departments of Chocó and Antioquia.
The Colombian Navy ratifies its commitment to the integral well-being of the less favored communities, while inviting public and private regional, national and international entities to join these humanitarian events and coordinate efforts for the development of all inhabitants of the Nation.
