When GRM opened our Tapachula Clinic in 2021, an estimated 60,000 people were stranded in Southern Mexico waiting for permission to either resettle or move through the country. Working with local partners and NGOs, Team Tapachula quickly became a major provider of care for those living in the shadows. The need hasn’t disappeared, but support for refugee aid in the region has sharply decreased.
As such, GRM made the difficult decision to end our Tapachula clinical program. In just 22 months, Team Tapachula treated over 22,000 people in limbo at the border of Mexico and Guatemala, both in our stationary clinic, through mobile clinics, and by responding to crises.
Here are some of the major highlights of Team Tapachula’s work since it began in 2021:
- 5,751 migratory caravan patients treated.
- 3,000 patients treated at El Estadio Olímpico de Tapachula.
- 13,691 clinic patient consults.
- 1,770 OB/GYN patient consults.
- 293 specialty referrals for medically complex cases.
We are immensely proud of and grateful to everyone who has been a part of our Tapachula family and contributed to changing the lives of more than 22,000 patients over the last 22 months. This extraordinary work could not have happened without the efforts of Team Tapachula – Project Manager Laura Bonitez, Dr. Gabriela Ramos, Dr. Dielly Gonzalez, Dr. Gerardo Josue Cabrera Becerril, RN Nancy Escalate, and RN Zabdi Alonso. We would also like to recognize the work of other partners who continue to provide support and resources in the area – JSR (Servicio Jesuita Para Refugiados), Una Mano Amiga en la lucha contra el SIDA A.C., Save the Children, Médicos del Mundo, Médecins Sans Frontières, OIM, ACNUR, and the Tapachula City Government.
Although our Tapachula Clinic is now closed, our work around the world is still very much necessary and ongoing. You can help continue the GRM mission by starting a Facebook fundraiser in GRM’s honor, setting up a recurring donation, or spreading the word by sharing our social media posts on Facebook and Instagram.
