Dr. Moises Chen Cruz. Dr. Chen, Physician and Surgeon, was born in Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, and is therefore a native speaker of the Achí language. His speciality is Epidemiology. He trained in Mexico and at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala, and through several additional courses in his speciality. He also holds a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in epidemiology from Rafael Landívar University in Guatemala.
Dr. Chen has been the Area Health Epidemiologist for Alta Verapaz throughout all the years that the Tula Foundation has been active in Guatemala. Dr. Chen is currently also the Director of the Health for the department of Alta Verapaz (DASAV), which is the regional branch of MSPAS, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance. Among his many responsibilities, Dr. Chen coordinates DASAV with various national and international organizations, including TulaSalud, to ensure that their project activities are effectively matched to the requirements of the various regions of Alta Verapaz.
There is no better friend of the Tula Foundation and TulaSalud than Dr. Chen. His professionalism, dedication, wisdom, commitment and experience command everyone’s respect, from highest levels of the health system to the community health workers in the most remote regions of Alta Verapaz. For the lowliest health workers in the most forgotten parts of the country, Dr. Chen is a mentor, a colleague, a friend they can count on for help when they face a problem. Dr. Chen is not at all shy about speaking up to those in power as an advocate for his staff and the people they serve in rural and disadvantaged communities. Dr. Chen has been our advocate and partner in the development of Kawok, the technology platform that supports community health workers.
Personal note from Dr. Chen: (translated)
The TulaSalud project makes me satisfied because I can communicate with community leaders and solve some of their needs, especially when using the technology saves a life, no matter the weather, fatigue, sleeplessness. I finish my day very satisfied, in spite of the frustrations of not having more allies to support our initiatives and even sometimes having people who block the process. But the satisfaction I feel is greater than those frustrations.
