El Olingo

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

Overview

El Olingo is located within the municipality of Danli in the department of El Paraiso in Eastern Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe, wood, and zinc. Children in the community have access up to 6th grade. The community has a gravity water system that is in need of improvement due to poor conduction lines. Most of the community members work in agriculture, cattle raising, and trading. The top needs expressed by El Olingo‘s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are water system improvement and public health projects.

Municipality: Danli
Department: El Paraiso

Homes : 300
Population : 1500
Electricity : Yes
Community Health Center : Yes
Water System : Yes
Homes with latrines : 33%
Education : up to 6th grqade
Distance to lodging facility (km) : 44

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

The Honduran government provides two 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 unavailable in these health centers. The physician density in Honduras remains around 1,220 people for every doctor. According to the World Health Organization, there should be a maximum of 435 people per physician to qualify a country with adequate access to medical attention.

Community members in El Olingo have access to the CESAMO located in their community. Although the CESAMO has a medical staff that provides consultation, it usually lacks medication. During initial communications with Global Brigades, community leaders in El Olingo reported that the most common illnesses seen in kids are flu diarrhea, and dengue, and in adults are diabetes, and high blood pressure.

76

Volunteers

1169

Patient Consultations

28

Visions Screenings

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

El Olingo currently has access to 7 Community Health Workers (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 can 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 emergencies.

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 El Olingo attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in their school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s 9 classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 15 minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 882 patients and performs an average of 81 dental procedures.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 882
BRIGADE SITE: YES

MEDICAL/DENTAL BRIGADES IN EL OLINGO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Saint Louis University Medical Brigade January 2012 50 Stockton Academy November 2021 10
University of California Irvine Medical December 2021 16 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical December 2021 16
Stockton Academy February 2022 10 Coginchaug Regional High School September 2022 14

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.

198

Patient Consultations

243

Number of Extractions

23

Fillings Performed

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in El Olingo attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in their school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s 9 classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 15 minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 882 patients and performs an average of 81 dental procedures.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 882
BRIGADE SITE: YES

MEDICAL/DENTAL BRIGADES IN EL OLINGO

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Saint Louis University Medical Brigade January 2012 50 Stockton Academy November 2021 10
University of California Irvine Medical December 2021 16 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Medical December 2021 16

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Olingo 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 : Yes
Type of system : Gravity
House connected to system : 60%
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Olingo but has not yet begun with the Water Program. Now in the planning phase, the implementation of any improvements to the community’s existing water system will follow the Engineering Program’s assessment and start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of system : Gravity
House connected to water system : 60%
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Olingo but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, the Business Program will conduct an evaluation of the existing community bank as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : Yes
Community Bank Members : 16
Economic Activities : agriculture, cattle raising
Existing Microenterprises : Kiosks

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in El Olingo 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.

Houses with latrines : 33%
Houses with eco-stoves : 17%
House with water filters : N/A
Common house materials : Adobe

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature