About Guatemala

Translated excerpts from:

“Language barriers make health care difficult for Mayans”
Source: Prensa Libre, June 13, 2008

For Carlos Cifuentes, a doctor from Huehuetenango, his work isn’t easy. Due to the diversity of languages, nine in his area alone, he must treat patients without speaking to them, because there are no translators in the hospital. “They point to the pain,” he says, “but I can’t ask them how long they’ve had it, if changing position eases it, or if they’ve taken any medication.”

There are almost two million people in Guatemala that don’t speak Spanish. It’s interesting to watch Spanish speaking medical personnel explain to a Mayan woman how she should administer medication to her children, in order to prevent a reaction to a vaccination, or how to prepare vitamin supplements to prevent malnutrition. She nods her head as if she understands, but the look on her face says otherwise.

Some health care workers speak a Mayan language, but they’re ashamed to speak it in public. Leticia Toj works at Rxiin Tinamit, an organization dedicated to healthcare. She says, “A lot of patients don’t receive adequate attention in hospital because they can’t communicate. There are even more who don’t even go to the health center because they know they won’t be able to understand.” She emphasizes that linguistic barriers create health risks for thousands of Mayans, who have the right to receive healthcare in their own languages.

Language facts:

• There are 24 languages in Guatemala.

• Approximately two million Guatemalans do not speak Spanish, according to the National Institute of Statistics’ 2002 census.

• The departments with the greatest number of Mayan language speakers are Sololá, Huehuetenango, and Alta and Baja Verapaz.

Partner for Surgery overcomes the barrier

We utilize culturally appropriate ways to effectively and efficiently reach out to those in need of assistance. In that spirit, we have trained 14 indigenous community managers (gerentes) within diverse cultural and linguistic regions. They live in the areas that we serve, speak the local Mayan languages, and maintain strong ties with the people. They are recognized as leaders, and enjoy the trust of their communities. They are the vital link between rural patients and quality medical care. They initiate and organize rural triage events with medical experts from North America, notify their communities through personal contact and radio broadcasts in Mayan languages, and educate them about surgical and health care options. We are proud of our role in overcoming language barriers so that non-Spanish speaking Mayan can access quality health care.