Tres Hermanas

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

Overview

Tres Hermanas is a small community located in the biodiverse region of Capira in Panama. Global Brigades began working with community members in 2020. A typical house in Tres Hermanas is made of concrete, blocks, and bricks. Tres Hermanas has a health post in the community, which means community members can have basic medical aid in case of emergency. About 98% of homes have an adequate toilet or latrine but the community overall doesn’t have a water system. The main form of employment is agriculture, fishing, and skilled labour. The top 3 needs expressed by the community were improvements to the road conditions, building electricity connections, and access to health services.

Corregimiento: Ciri de los Sotos
District: Capira
Province: West Panama

Homes : 500
Population : 650
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Not Started
Electricity : No
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Not Started
% of Homes with Latrines : 98%
Education in the Community : Up to primary school
Distance from Lodging Facility (km) : 50 KM

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. 

Tres Hermanas has a Puesto de Salud or Health Post where they can get basic medical aid but need to travel to the closest corresponding Centro de Salud is in La Arenosa, which costs about $4 round trip by bus if they want to make an appointment with a specialist. The most common illnesses seen within the community are diarrhoea, fever, leishmaniasis, and arthritis.

44

Medical Volunteers

384

Patient Consultations

38

Health Education Workshops

Health Post : Yes
Community Health Workers : Not Started
Common illnesses in Children : Common cold, diarrhea, leishmaniasis
Common illnesses in Adults : Asthma, arthritis, diarrhea, leishmaniasis

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS:

Tres Hermanas doesn’t have Community Health Workers in training yet but Global Brigades is actively working on implementing this program. 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.

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN ALDEA TRES HERMANAS:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of New Hampshire January 2023 19 Tufts University January 2023 15
Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals Medical Brigade June 2023 10

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE ACCESS

A dental Charla in a community in Panama

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.

155

Patient Consultations

82

Number of Extractions

97

Fluoride Treatments

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN ALDEA TRES HERMANAS:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of New Hampshire January 2023 19 Tufts University January 2023 15
Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals Medical Brigade June 2023 10

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Tres Hermanas but has not yet begun with the Water Program. If there is a need, the Water Program will begin implementing a new water system or any necessary repairs to existing infrastructure as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Gravity Aqueduct
% Homes with Access to Water : 10%
Water Council : Yes
Number of Members : 7

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

TRES HERMANA’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Community members in Tres Hermanas 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. Larger financial institutions do not approve loans to community members without a fixed income, making it difficult for local micro-enterprises to grow and thrive.

Most community members cite the distance to the nearest bank as the main discouragement to having a personal savings account. Even if individuals wish to travel the distance, not all community members can become members of these financial institutions–cooperatives require monthly membership fees, savings accounts often require a fixed income, and the cost of travel provides an additional barrier.

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Tres Hermanas but has not yet begun with the Business Program. The implementation of microfinance literacy will start as soon as feasible.

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

TRES HERMANAS’ PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE

Many community members in Tres Hermanas lacked the resources needed to improve their homes and prevent diseases caused by unsafe living conditions. Only around 2% of homes in Tres Hermanas had adequate sanitation services prior to the arrival of Global Brigades. This lack of improved sanitation led to high rates of diarrhoea and water-borne disease.

Although community members recognized the problems inherent to their living environments, they did not have the economic resources or the technical knowledge needed to address them. It also was necessary to increase the level of awareness concerning sanitation and the importance of health in the community.

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Tres Hermanas but has not yet begun with the Public Health Program. The implementation of public health services and the improvement of infrastructure will start as soon as feasible.

% Homes with Latrines : 98%
% Homes with Eco-Stoves : 0%
% Homes with Water FIlters : 0%
% Homes with concrete floors : 95%
% Homes with bath/showers : 100%
Common House Materials : Cement bricks, blocks, zinc

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature