Ojo de Agua

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

Overview

Ojo de Agua is located within the municipality of Yuscaran in the department of El Paraiso in eastern Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe and cement. Children in the community have access to a primaty school. Most of the community members work in the agricultural field. The top needs expressed by Ojo de Agua‘s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades are a new water well, public health infrastructure and medical brigades..

Municipality: Yuscaran
Department: El Paraiso

Homes : 900
Population : 8,000
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : Yes
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 50%
Education : Up to 6th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 12 km

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

The Honduran government provides two different 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 not available in these health centers and the physician density in Honduras remains around 1,220 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.

The community of Ojo de Agua is fortunate enough to have a CESAMO. The most common illnesses reported by community members in Ojo de Agua are Diabetes, Respiratory infections and Diarrhea.

171

Brigade Volunteers

4,220

Patient Consulations

891

Vision Screenings Provided

123

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Ojo de Agua has access to a total of 2 Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs were trained in the community of El Censo. Both of them live in community.

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 is able to 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 emergency situations. 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 Ojo de Agua attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics in community. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s 16 classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient. Each day of the brigade, an average of 31 educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 1,098
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: N/A

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN OJO DE AGUA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Toronto Medical Brigade August 2017 35 Saint John’s University Medical Brigade May 2018 51
California State Polytechnic University Pomona Medical Brigade March 52 Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade July 2021 14
San Francisco State University Medical Brigade July 2022 19

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.

504

Patient Consultations

479

Number of Extractions

327

Fillings Performed

173

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Ojo de Agua attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics in community. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s 16 classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of 10 minutes with each patient. Each day of the brigade, an average of 31 educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 1,098
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: N/A

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN OJO DE AGUA

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of Toronto Medical Brigade August 2017 35 Saint John’s University Medical Brigade May 2018 51
California State Polytechnic University Pomona Medical Brigade March 52 Oklahoma State University Medical Brigade July 2021 14
San Francisco State University Medical Brigade July 2022 19

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Ojo de Agua 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
Homes with Access to Water : N/A
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Ojo de Agua 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
Homes with Access to Water : N/A
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Ojo de Agua but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : Yes
Community Bank Members : 10
Economic Activities : Agriculture
Existing Microenterprises : N/A

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Ojo de Agua 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 Latrines : 50%
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 5%
Homes with Water FIlters : 0%
Common House Materials : Adobe and Cement Bricks

Local Reference Points

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

  • Feature