History and Future | APS History

APS was conceived by Dr. Saul Contreras Martinez through his experiences in many places and at various times during his life. He started to organize a group of Managua health workers in July of 1996: a nurse, a dentist, a laboratory technician and a health educator. In the beginning, APS consisted of just 2 urban programs, providing access to medical consultations and basic medicines. Six months late,r APS had begun two additional programs with dental and clinical laboratories. All of these programs aimed to be self-sufficient in order to provide salaries and the necessary materials. As a result of our accessible prices and humanistic service, we acquired a lot of patients.

By 1997 we had a very a good level of self-financing, so we initiated a community-based health kit program in five barrios nearby, including rural communities in the municipalities of El Crucero and Ciudad Sandino. At the end of that year, we received financing from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) to continue the work; and, we received financing from Change for Children for the community health kit program on Ometepe Island. We were also able to buy an old 1985 truck, which has been very useful not just for the promoters on Ometepe Island, but for the other communities as well. The next year (1998), with the support of 'Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada' and 'Sterling Pulp Chemicals,' we were able to expand the rural program in El Crucero. From 1999 to 2000, we received support from Co-Development Canada to organize promoters in San Francisco Libre, and the following year the program expanded to La Conquista. Since that time, Co-Development Canada has been supporting the follow-up of these four clusters of communities.

In 2001 we coordinated with 'Fundacion Humboldt Nicaragua' to complete studies of 37 rural communities in Rio Coco. To develop this program we again received support from Change for Children. They have done the follow-up with these indigenous peoples, and even translated our training manual into the native indigenous language, Miskito. A year later we coordinated with the Maria Luisa Ortiz Women’s Cooperative in Mulukuku, and are now working with 36 communities there. In 2004 we began working with AMNLAE-Tipitapa, and have successfully implemented the rural health kit program in 25 rural villages with the help of Doctors for Global Health. Most recently, we have begun training 36 promoters in the municipality of Bonanza, located in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region of Nicaragua.