At the start of this year, the Home reported operating almost as normal. Local donations, which had fallen off during the Covid19 lockdown, were being restored and the two doctors who volunteer their services were once again visiting the Home to monitor the residents and plan individual therapies for each of them. Medications were again being collected from the local Hospital, as before the lockdown. Day to day affairs were being well manged by the interim administrator contracted by the Home last year.

More recently, however, Piura has been put on extreme alert because of a new wave of the pandemic. Hospitals are said to be close to collapse and the number of deaths has already exceeded the peak of the first wave. The Home’s legal advisers have had several cases of infection and, sadly, one death. Fortunately, the residents and staff of the Home are well. All were tested for Covid19 in early April and all tested negative.

Despite the difficulties, the charity that owns and runs the Home held a General Meeting on-line, attended by 90 per cent of its members, at which a new Committee was elected to a two-year mandate. They will take up their positions as soon as their appointments are officially registered. The new Chair is Sra. Lola María Santivañez, who returns to this role which she held some years ago. We at the Trust are pleased that the outgoing Chair, Srta. Carmen Olga Palma, will remain on the Committee as its Treasurer.