Palama, San Jose Poaquil

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental

Overview

Palama is a community located in San Jose Poaquil, Chimaltenango Guatemala. Currently, the community doesn’t have a water system, but the municipality and the community leaders are projecting building one in the near future. Most of the community members work in agriculture and coffee growing. The languages spoken in the community are Spanish and Kaqchikel. During initial communications with Global Brigades, community leaders expressed that their top three needs were Medical Brigades, access to education, and water system construction.

Municipality: San Jose Poaquil

Department: Chimaltenango

Homes : N/A
Population : N/A
Water System : Not Started
Community Bank : Not Started
Electricity : N/A
Health Center : N/A
Community Health Workers : Not Started
Education : N/A
Distance from Lodging Facility : N/A

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS:

Over 90% of the population in the municipality of Chimaltenango are part of Mayan indigenous groups. Public health care in Guatemala falls under the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPAS) which has 2,200 service units across the country.  Even with this coverage, it is essential to note that medications, supplies, and materials are often not available. Health worker density in rural communities is to 3.0 per 10,000 persons as opposed to 25.7 to 10,000 in urban areas of Guatemala. There are major gaps in health care services between rural indigenous and urban populations in Guatemala.

Untitled photo

20

Volunteers

129

Patient Consultations

8

Health Education Workshops

Volunteers shadowing medical consultation with a local doctor
Volunteers shadowing medical consultation with a local doctor

BRIGADE INFORMATION:

Medical Brigades use the local school as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. 

BRIGADE SITE: Community School

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: +300

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN PALAMA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Jefferson University Medical March 2022 22 Tufts University Medical August 2025 17

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE  ACCESS:

In working closely with the Medical Program, the Dental Program provides fillings, extractions, and fluoride treatments as a standard part of Medical Brigades. Most community members do not have regular access to dental care due to the lack of dentists within a reasonable distance.

43

Patient Consultations

66

Number of Extractions

11

Dental Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION:

Medical Brigades use the local school as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. 

BRIGADE SITE: Community School

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN PALAMA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Jefferson University Medical March 2022 22 Tufts University Medical August 2025 17

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature

The Largest Movement for Global Health and Holistic Development

“Global Brigades” refers to one or more Global Brigades entities, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity; “Global Brigades, Inc.,” “Global Brigades Health and Development,” “Global Brigades UK,” “GBO Ghana,” “Asociacion Global Brigadas de Honduras,” and “Fundacion Brigadas Globales de Panama”. Global Brigades Health and Development (“Global Brigades Canada”) is a federally registered Canadian charity independent from Global Brigades Inc.

Guidestar 2021