This was the case for Lurvy Elisa Ramírez, 44, who was hit by the train last December as she fled from members of the National Guard. Her wounds were so severe that her legs had to be amputated. After being discharged from hospital, Lurvy is completing her rehabilitation at Casa Catalina, a refuge for vulnerable groups in Coatzacoalcos. At the hospital and in Casa Catalina she has received medical and mental healthcare from MSF teams. The organization has recently implemented prevention protocols for COVID-19 hand in hand with the municipality's health authorities in Casa Catalina.
"I had to flee the province of La Esperanza in Honduras. The situation there is very dangerous. Crime is everywhere and there are no jobs. Businesses cannot survive because you have to pay a heavy ‘war tax’ [extortion paid to gangs] and if you do not pay them, they kill you. I had a small shop selling food that did not pay much and when they asked me for money I couldn't pay. I had to send my four children to another province. Their father went with them because I had to flee," recalls Lurvy.