During the final weeks of my NGSE, I immersed myself further in Brazil's healthcare system. Beyond shadowing Dr. Andre Pimentel in his private dental practice, I also toured a Centro Municipal de Saúde (CMS) that operates through Brazil’s Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). SUS is Brazil’s public healthcare system, which provides free universal care to everyone regardless of socioeconomic or legal status. Centro Municipal de Saúde translates to Municipal Health Center. They are primary care facilities, but SUS also operates urgent care clinics and hospitals.
During my tour, Dr. Dominique Peniche showed me the dental department she works in and introduced me to the pharmacists, nurses, and administrative staff. I learned a little about how SUS tries to reach underserved populations and provide lifelong care. Their aim is for doctors to remain at the same facility for as long as possible, allowing them to serve people from infancy to adulthood and beyond. Some healthcare units, including the one I toured, are strategically located near or inside favelas, informal urban communities. Residents of favelas are often low-income and would face severe barriers to accessing healthcare without SUS. It was a joy to see how passionate everyone was about SUS and the privilege of serving these vulnerable populations.
Another highlight of my final weeks was getting more involved in the Rotary community in Bangu. At a general meeting, I met the Rotarians and gave a speech about my NGSE experience. I appreciated how warmly the Rotarians welcomed me and took an interest in what I had learned during my time in Brazil. I also attended a Rotary banquet, where I enjoyed delicious Italian food and more of their great company. Countless Rotarians made sure to greet and chat with me individually, connecting on a deeper level. These conversations deepened my appreciation for fellowship in Rotary and showed me how its commitment to promoting goodwill and understanding globally comes to life through NGSE.
Thank you to Districts 5360 and 4571 for making this exchange possible and for making my dream of visiting Rio a reality! I learned so much about myself and gained so much perspective on health care through this opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who showed me the endless warmth and vibrancy of Bangu, who made saying goodbye so hard. I will carry the imprints you left on my heart with me forever from these three unforgettable weeks.
Photo #1: Here is a picture of me with some of the staff at the CMS I visited. Thank you so much to Dr. Dominique Peniche, pictured in the white coat, for giving me a tour and answering my many questions. It was such a unique experience, and I am so grateful.
Photo #2: This is a group photo from the banquet with some of the amazing friends Rotary introduced me to. We will meet again!
