Juan Diaz

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

Overview

Juan Diaz is located in Cocle, in the western part of Panama. The typical house is made of cement blocks or bricks. Children in the community typically attend school up until the 6th grade. The current water system in place in community is a gravity aqueduct. Most of the community members work in land agriculture, a labor position, or as an artisan. There is no health facility in Juan Diaz, which means community members have to either walk 2 hours or pay for a bus to attend the nearest health center in Antón. One of the top needs expressed by Juan Diaz was an improved road, improved electricity, and improved homes.

District: Antón
Province: Cocle

Homes : 658
Population : 2634
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : No
Homes with Latrines : 20%
Education : Up to 6th grade
Distance from Panama Office : 143 kilometers

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

Even though Panama is a country with a lot of economic growth, this growth does not apply equally to all Panamanians, especially those in rural areas. This results in stark inequality when it comes to healthcare access. The Panamanian Ministry of Health (MINSA) provides two different types of health facilities throughout rural Panama: Centros de Salud and Puestos de Salud. Centros 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. Puestos are found sporadically in rural communities and generally have a single nurse available. 

Even with this coverage, the Centros frequently lack a full pharmacy and the staff capacity to see every patient each day. After walking long distances or paying for a bus, rural visitors to the Centros can expect long wait times given the limited staff and resources to meet the demand from all neighboring communities. The physician density in Panama remains around 630 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.

There is no health center in Juan Diaz. The closest Centro de Salud is in the town of Antón, which means community members must wait and pay to travel by bus every time they need to see a doctor. In Juan Diaz the top 3 most prevalent illnesses are the common cold, kidney issues, and poor nutrition.

306

Volunteers

2,726

Patient Consultations

59

Vision Screenings

167

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

A group of CHWs from East Panama, trained in 2019

The community of Juan Diaz does not yet have Community Health Workers. Global Brigades Panama Medical Program is working diligently to train volunteers as CHWs in its partner communities as part of the Holistic Model. Juan Diaz will receive training as soon as possible to further support the health of its community members.

Community Health Workers, or Agentes Comunitarios en Salud (ACeS), work on a volunteer basis as advocates for healthcare within their communities. Their primary responsibilities include: educating community members to prevent common illnesses, providing emergency first aid, supporting pregnant mothers and newborns, and following up with chronic patients. The presence of these volunteers and their advocacy for health within their community contributes to the sustainability of healthcare supported by Global Brigades’ Medical Program and is one of the most impactful disease prevention strategies in rural communities.

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Brigaders present a health charla in Juan Diaz

Medical and Dental Brigade clinics are hosted in Juan Diaz’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the classrooms. Volunteers assist with intake and triage, and shadow local doctors, dentists, and pharmacists. Each day of the brigade, an average of 10 educational workshops or charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 417

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN JUAN DIAZ

Chapter Date Number of Volunteers Chapter Date Number of Volunteers
University of Connecticut Medical January 2014 57 University of Texas San Antonio Medical August 2014 39
University of Arizona Professional Medical March 2015 44 New York University/ Yale University Medical March 2016 30
University of Connecticut Medical May 2017 25 Pennsylvania State University Medical December 2018 29
University of Houston Medical Brigade May 2019 22 University of California San Diego Medical Brigade June 2022 20
Marquette University Medical Brigade January 2023 40

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.

 

1,046

Dental Patient Consultations

689

Fluoride Treatments

241

Number of Extractions

11

Fillings Performed

BRIGADE INFORMATION

A brigader treats a young patient with fluoride in Juan Diaz

Medical and Dental Brigade clinics are hosted in Juan Diaz’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the classrooms. Volunteers assist with intake and triage, and shadow local doctors, dentists, and pharmacists. Each day of the brigade, an average of 10 educational workshops or charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 417

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN JUAN DIAZ

Chapter Date Number of Volunteers Chapter Date Number of Volunteers
University of Connecticut Medical Brigade January 2014 57 University of Texas San Antonio Medical Brigade August 2014 39
University of Arizona Professional Medical Brigade March 2015 44 New York University/ Yale University Medical Brigade March 2016 30
University of Connecticut Medical Brigade May 2017 25 Pennsylvania State University Medical Brigade December 2018 29
University of Houston Medical Brigade May 2019 22 Marquette University Medical Brigade January 2023 40

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Juan Diaz 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 : Yes
Type of System : Gravity aqueduct
Homes connected to water : 100%
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Juan Diaz but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible, followed by market studies and investment in an anchor business to provide additional capital.

Community Bank : No
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : farming
Existing microenterprises : 3 small shops, 1 supermarket

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Juan Diaz 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 flushing toilets : 20%
Homes with latrines : 90%
Homes with bath/shower : N/A
Common house materials : concrete blocks