Where: Municipality offices, The mayor’s meeting room.
When: March 10th 2011 12.30-1.35pm
Who: Irma Rosado NGO co-ordinator, Lucy Nunez (Mayor of San Miguel), Dra Georgina Mejia Bocanegra (Sanataria 2 director), Jesus (Cedesa), Laura (Rotary).
Purpose: To discuss the issue of unusually high early mortality rate in Tierra Blanca, findings of the census carried out by Jesus with Cedesa & the community, with an aim to beginning a full epidemiological study in this community to ultimately resolve the high death rate from cancer occurring here for more than 30 years. (according to the community).
Background
Cedesa & Rotary have been working in this community with an aim to providing water, during community assemblies the issue of high death rate by cancer in this community was raised.
Cedesa subsequently carried out a census with the assistance of the community, to gather more data to determine a pattern. The census found that there was a high concentration of deaths 81% around a specific area of the community, thus indicating a potential environmental cause (as opposed to the previously thought genetic aspect).
With this information we would now like to illicit the assistance of experts in this field to potentially pinpoint the cause & ultimately (ideally) a solution to this major ongoing issue in this community.
Water has been mostly ruled out in these early stages, as 3 communities share the same water source & yet Tierra Blanca is the only community reporting this issue.
Cedesa & Rotary have reached out to Dra Mejia & the municipality & the meeting has been arranged.
Meeting begins
Jesus presented a powerpoint giving a background to this situation, ie that we were working on water projects re the fluoride & scarcity of water issue, & during this work, the community of Tierra Blanca reached out & asked for help with this issue.
Jesus mentioned our census, how it was carried out & the findings re the concentration of 81% of the deaths in one small area – which also happens to be an old burial ground. There was brief discussion about possibility of contamination by the bones of the burial ground, or the possibility that the burial ground was placed there because there was a problem existing even back then.
Dra Georgina presented death figures they had officially received, along with alleged cause of deaths pronouncements. It was mentioned that many people don’t seek official pronouncement re cause of death & that incorrect causes can be recorded.
Lucy agreed that this is a very important issue & we must work to find a resolution.
She suggested a full scientific study could be carried out if we approached Universities specialist in epidemiology in the USA, Dra mentioned Mexico has experts in this field & would be appropriate to contact them.
Jesus mentioned there is an antigens test which can be done as a pre-indicator of lung cancer.
The private hospital charge for this test in Mexico is $850 pesos.
There was discussion about the possibility of the mobile mammogram clinic being able to do these tests for the people in Tierra Blanca.
It was explained that in order to receive funding from a govt. budget for this there would need to be official supporting evidence of the need, (our census is unofficial).
In the meantime Dra Mejia offered mammograms & pap smears to all women in Tierra Blanca 12+ years of age. Completely unrelated to the lung cancer, but disease prevention in general.
Laura mentioned she had attempted to contact a Mexican expert in the field through her friend who is an epidemiologist but to no avail. Lucy said she would like that contact & will follow up.
(contact was since provided)
It was agreed that Dra Mejia would create a “packet” of information/stats etc to provide as support to request assistance from Epidemiologists, she would also identify potential epidemiologists to contact.
Fluoride:
The issue of fluoride contamination was discussed, ie that it is a very big problem but that we don’t currently have up to date statistics on the numbers of people affected, & the level of affect.
Jesus & Laura proposed that a study be carried out to determine the numbers of affected & with the aim to looking at resolution of this issue, mostly through prevention since there is no “cure”.
Dra Mejia agreed to devote 2 “robots” (dental vans) to the project, & asked for costs to cover the consumables in these vans (Rotary would attempt to assist with this, with international dentist connections through Rotary.
It would also be helpful to have volunteer dentists to assist with the info gathering process.
General point:
Laura mentioned during a meeting with IMTA in 2010 they had mentioned the foundation they work closely with in regards to water projects, Laura had contacted with no response, & Lucy volunteered to make contact to see if there was any option for funding for the water projects (with aim to prevent further fluorosis)
(contact information later provided to Lucy)
Action:
Jesus is to call Dra Mejia on Monday 14th March to find out the schedule of:-
• the Robot vans & when they can be made available
• mammograms & pap smears for eligible women in Tierra Blanca
Dra Mejia is to:
• create the “packet” of information with which to invite epidemiological assistance.
• Provide contact details of possible epidemiologists for Lucy to contact.
Laura is to provide contact details of Mexican epidemiologist expert + IMTA contact to Lucy to follow up. (done)
No next meeting date for these participants was made at this meeting.
Next meeting regarding Tierra Blanca, community assembly 30.3.11 11am. In Tierra Blanca
