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La Niña and the health crisis in Parijaro
Living in rainforest can mean living in extremely remote locations. Remoteness in many of our rainforest partnerships leads to limited access to infrastructure and facilities that can be taken for granted in other parts of the world, such as reliable roads, access to healthcare and schools. This can lead to devastating consequences.
The weather pattern phenomenon ‘La Niña’ is causing an unprecedented cold snap across the whole Selva Central Region of Peru; where our partnership with the Parijaro community is situated.
“La Niña is associated with the cooling of surface ocean waters along the west coast of South America. It causes low air pressure leading to wetter weather conditions in South East Asia, Australia, and South Eastern Africa. In the central and eastern Pacific, however, La Niña creates a higher pressure, causing less cloud cover and less rainfall than normal”.
– NatGeo
The abnormally cold temperatures brought by La Niña are now reaching our partners in Parijaro, Peru. This means that this year’s winter could be one of the coldest on record for the people of Parijaro, who are located 1,400m above sea level.
Extraordinarily cold temperatures and poor infrastructure has already led to emergency health situations in Parijaro this year. If any members of the community require medical attention, due to lack of access they must first complete an eight-hour hike, followed by either an eight-hour drive or boat journey. This gruelling trip often means people are not able to receive the health care they urgently need.
Tragically this situation has now led to the loss of life in Parijaro, including young infants and children, as the community struggles to cope with these unprecedented low temperatures.
The community urgently needs the Peruvian Government to provide long-term solutions. Solutions that equal adequate healthcare. Solutions include a local Health Center as well as the construction of a reliable and safe road that will facilitate fast evacuations when needed. Solutions that save lives.
The community already works with us and our NGO partners CARE and we are doing everything with can with your donations. Cash has already been used for the purchase of a community health kit, but they need significant, urgent support from the Government to keep communities and families safe and healthy.
We are continuing to provide cash support to the people of Parijaro through working with CARE who are fighting to achieve structural change with the government to provide aid. So far we have been able to send food and clothing donations to the community.