Rio Hondo

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

Overview

Rio Hondo is located in the biodiverse region of West Panama and celebrated its transition with Global Brigades in October of 2021. People in Rio Hondo are primarily dedicated to agriculture, fishery, and the sale of artisanal crafts. The common house in this community is made of mud, wood, and zinc, the community members have access to a community school however if they want to continue with their higher education they need to travel to the nearest community to do so. When Global Brigades approached the community, they expressed that their top three needs were: access to water, access to education, and medical aid. Global Brigades is currently working with Medical Brigades in Rio Hondo and the community is on the wait list for eventual Holistic Model implementation as part of Global Brigades’ strategic plan in Panama.

Corregimiento: Chiman
District: Panama

Homes : 65
Population : 365
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Active Implementation
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Yes
% of Homes with Latrines : 0%
Education in the Community : Up to 9th grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 1 hour

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 neighbouring communities. The physician density in Panama remains at around 630 people for every 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.

Rio Hondo has a health post in the community that provides members with basic medical aid. Since it doesn’t have a Puesto de Salud in the community, community members have to travel to Union Santana to have more complete healthcare access. Community members in Rio Hondo expressed that the top 3 most prevalent illnesses are the common cold, diarrhoea, fever, and parasites.

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS:

Rio Hondo is currently overseeing the possibility to provide training to community members to engage as Community Health Workers. 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

The Medical and Dental Brigade in Rio Hondo will start as soon as feasible.

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN RIO HONDO:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers

 

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Rio Hondo but has not yet begun with the Dental Brigades program.  Now in the planning phase, mobile clinics will start as soon as feasible.

Distance to Nearest Health Center : 2 hours
Community Health Workers : Not Started
Common Illnesses in Children : Diarrhea, respiratory infection, fever
Common Illnesses in Adults : Hypertension, Diabetes, fever

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Rio Hondo but has not yet begun with the Engineering Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, the surveying, improvement or construction of a water system will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of Water System : Reserve tank
% of Homes with Access to water : 10%
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Rio Hondo but has not yet begun with the Water Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, the surveying, improvement or construction of a water system will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of Water System : Reserve tank
% of Homes with Access to Water : 100%

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

RIO HONDO’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Community members of Rio Hondo lack access to financial resources within the community. The majority of community members do not have bank accounts and there are only limited informal forms of credit available within the community. Larger financial institutions do not approve loans to community members without a fixed income, which makes it difficult for this community since its primary source of income comes from agriculture. Long distances, membership fees, and credit records are other barriers community members face when trying to access financial resources.

RIO HONDO’S MICROFINANCE SOLUTION

The Global Brigades Business and Microfinance team is currently training a new Community Bank in Rio Hondo. This will encourage the community members to register and open savings accounts, and consequently, grow seed capital for further investment. Upon the completion of six months of executive board training, the Community Bank will begin giving out loans to bank members to spur economic growth and home improvement projects.

Local Businesses : Mini market
Economic Activities : Agriculture, artisan goods, skilled labor
Community Bank : In training

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

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

% of houses with latrines : 0%
% of homes with flushing toilets : 100%
% of homes with water storage units : 2%
% of homes with traditional stoves : 100%

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature