El Guayabito

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

Overview

El Guayabito is a small community located in San Carlos District, Panamá Oeste Province, Panama. Global Brigades began working with community members in 2019. El Guayabito does not have access to a water system and is working closely with Global Brigades to design a system that provides clean water to all community members. Children in the community have access to education up to ninth grade. Most of the community members work in agriculture and they do not have a health center in the community.

Homes : 160
Population : 510
Water System : No
Community Bank : Not Started
Electricity : N/A
Health Center : N/A
Community Health Workers : Not Started
% of Homes with Latrines : N/A
Education in the Community : Up to primary school
Distance from Lodging Facility (km) : N/A

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. 

126

Medical Volunteers

235

Patient Consultations

43

Health Education Workshops

Health Post : No
Community Health Workers : Not Started

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS:

El Guayabito 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 EL GUAYABITO:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Santa Clara University Medical Brigade March 2019 28 Davidson College & Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Medical Brigade May 2022 18
Albion College & University of Windsor Medical Brigade May 2024 24

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.

287

Patient Consultations

90

Number of Extractions

114

Fluoride Treatments

40

Fillings Performed

42

Dental Education Workshops

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN ALDEA EL GUAYABITO:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Santa Clara University Medical Brigade March 2019 28 Marquette University Dental Brigade January 2023 26
University of California Los Angeles & University of Washington Dental Brigade August 2023 30 Albion College & University of Windsor Medical Brigade May 2024 24

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Guayabito 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 : No
% Homes with Access to Water : N/A
Water Council : N/A

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

EL GUAYABITO’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Community members in El Guayabito 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.

18

Volunteers

4

Hours of Consultation Provided

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

El GUAYABITO’S PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Guayabito 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 : N/A
% Homes with Eco-Stoves : N/A
% Homes with Water FIlters : N/A
% Homes with concrete floors : N/A
% Homes with bath/showers : 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.

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