Higuerito, Cedros

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Engineering
  • Water
  • Business
  • Public Health

Overview

Higuerito is located within the municipality of Cedros in the department of Francisco Morazan in Central Honduras. Children in the community have access up to 6th. There is a gravity water system that uses groundwater that functions well in the community. Most of the community members work in Agriculture. The top needs expressed by Higueritos’ inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are Water and Sanitation.

Municipality: Cedros
Department: Francisco Morazan 

Homes : 70
Population : 216
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : N/A
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : N/A
Community Health Workers : N/A
Homes with Latrines : 100%
Education : Up to 6th grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : N/A

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

The Honduran government provides two different types of health centers throughout rural Honduras: Centros de Salud Médico Odontológico (CESAMOs) and Centros de Salud Rural (CESARs). CESAMOs are the larger of the two, often found in municipalities, and typically have at least one physician on staff at all times with nurses and potentially a dentist. CESARs are found sporadically in rural communities and generally have a single nurse available. Even with this coverage, it is important to note that medications, supplies, and materials are often not available in these health centers and the physician density in Honduras remains around 1,220 people for every one doctor. According to the World Health Organization, there should be a maximum of 435 people per physician to qualify a country as having adequate access to medical attention.

Community members in Higuerito must travel nine kilometers to the nearest health center in Cedros, which is a CESAMO. During initial communications with Global Brigades, community leaders in Higuerito reported that the most common illnesses seen are flu, hypertension, and diabetes.

223

Brigade Volunteers

5651

Patient Consulations

31

Vision screenings provided

125

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Higuerito currently has access to 1 Community Health Worker (CHWs). However, these CHWs were not trained by Global Brigades. Our Medical Program is actively working to assess the current CHWs’ knowledge, recruit additional volunteers, and provide supplemental training and certification.

Community Health Workers, or Guardianes de Salud, work on a volunteer basis as advocates for health care within their communities. While this is an existing program in Honduras and Guardianes de Salud are identified by other organizations and some health centers, Global Brigades is able to bridge gaps in access to training and provide more comprehensive technical skills. Our CHWs are some of the very few Guardianes de Salud to receive certification from the Honduran government. Our CHWs are tasked with treating and preventing common illnesses, and some of their responsibilities include first aid, supporting and caring for pregnancies and newborns, and responding to emergency situations. They are also responsible for following up with chronic patients to ensure proper administration of medications and treatments to avoid further complications. Additionally, CHWs provide support for brigades that are hosted in their area. At the completion of their training, CHWs are equipped with basic medical supplies and equipment provided by Global Brigades and its partners. The presence of these volunteers and their advocacy for health within their community contributes to the sustainability of health care supported by Global Brigades’ Medical Program and is one of the most impactful disease prevention strategies in rural communities across the globe.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Higuerito attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in Cedros’ school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 1108 patients. Each day of the brigade, an average of 8 educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 1108

MEDICAL/DENTAL BRIGADES IN HIGUERITO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Arizona March 2012 36 Wake Forest University & University of Maryland August 2012 37
Cornell University & Midwestern University May 2013 40 Brandeis University February 2014 41
State University of New York Binghamton May 2015 37 Foothill College TeleBrigade August 2020 16

 

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE ACCESS

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 a dentist within a reasonable distance.

328

Patient Consultations

352

Number of Extractions

202

Fillings Performed

81

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Higuerito attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in Cedros’ school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 1108 patients. Each day of the brigade, an average of 8 educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED:1108

MEDICAL/DENTAL BRIGADES IN HIGUERITO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Arizona March 2012 36 Wake Forest University & University of Maryland August 2012 37
Cornell University & Midwestern University May 2013 40 Brandeis University February 2014 41
State University of New York Binghamton May 2015 37 Foothill College TeleBrigade August 2020 16

 

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Higuerito but has not yet begun with the Engineering Program. Now in the planning phase, a reliable source of clean water will be identified as soon as feasible, followed by the design of a water solution sufficient to meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years with projected population growth.

Water System : N/A
Type of System : N/A
Homes with Access to Water : N/A
Water Council : N/A

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Higuerito but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the Water Program will begin implementing a new water system or any necessary repairs to existing infrastructure following the Engineering Program’s evaluation and recommendations.

Water System : N/A
Type of System : N/A
Homes with Access to Water : N/A
Water Council : N/A

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Cedros but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : N/A
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : N/A
Existing Microenterprises : N/A

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Cedros but has not yet begun with the Public Health Program. Now in the planning phase, the financing, delivery, and installation of household health infrastructure products will start as soon as feasible.

Homes with Latrines : 70
Homes with Eco-Stoves : N/A
Homes with Water FIlters : N/A
Common House Materials : N/A

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature