Santa Rosa, San Matias

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

Overview

Santa Rosa is located within the municipality of San Matias in the department of El Paraíso in central Honduras. The typical house is made of adobe. Children in the community have access to education up to Centro Básico, or ninth grade. While almost all community members of Santa Rosa receive centrally treated water 24/7, they are interested in alternative treatment methods. Most of the community members work in agriculture. The top needs expressed by Santa Rosa’s inhabitants during their initial communications with Global Brigades include access to medical care, improvements to the water system, and in-home public health infrastructure.

Municipality: San Matias
Department: El Paraíso

Homes : 50
Population : 250
Water System : Yes
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : No
Community Health Workers : Yes
Homes with Latrines : 30%
Education : Up to 9th Grade
Distance from Lodging Facility : 52 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.

There is no health center in the community of Santa Rosa. If community members wish to receive medical attention, they must walk six kilometers to the nearest CESAR or eleven kilometers to the nearest public hospital in Danlí. The most common illnesses reported by community members include respiratory infection, diarrhea, dengue fever, diabetes hypertension, fevers, prostate issues, and cancer.

85

Volunteers

394

Patient Consulations

29

Vision screenings provided

11

Health Education Workshops

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

San Matias has access to a total of eighteen Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs were trained in the community of La Concepción and provide their services to a total of six communities. One of them lives in San Matias.

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 Santa Rosa attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in the community’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s four classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 188 patients and performs an average of 38 dental procedures. Each day of the brigade, an average of eight educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 188
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL ROBLEDAL, EL ESPINITO, LA CONCEPCIÓN
BRIGADE SITE: SCHOOL BUILDING

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN SANTA ROSA, SAN MATIAS

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Illinois Wesleyan University Medical Brigade June 2016 24 Texas A&M International University Medical Brigade March 2017 24
Carleton University Medical Brigade & University of New Brunswick Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Medical Brigade August 2018 37

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.

68

Patient Consultations

85

Fluoride Treatments

33

Fillings Performed

10

Dental Education Workshop

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Community members in Santa Rosa attend Medical and Dental Brigade clinics hosted in the community’s school building. The various stations of the clinic are held in the school’s four classrooms. Doctors are able to spend an average of ten minutes with each patient. Each brigade sees an average of 188 patients and performs an average of 38 dental procedures. Each day of the brigade, an average of eight educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 188
NEARBY COMMUNITIES: EL ROBLEDAL, EL ESPINITO, LA CONCEPCIÓN
BRIGADE SITE: SCHOOL BUILDING

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN SANTA ROSA, SAN MATIAS

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Illinois Wesleyan University Medical Brigade June 2016 24 Texas A&M International University Medical Brigade March 2017 24
Carleton University Medical Brigade & University of New Brunswick Medical Brigade & University of Toronto Medical Brigade August 2018 37

Engineering

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Rosa but has not yet begun with the Engineering Program. Now in the planning phase, the evaluation of the community’s existing water system and design of any necessary improvements will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
Type of System : Gravity
Homes with Access to Water : 96%
Water Council : Yes

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Rosa 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
Homes with Access to Water : 96%
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Rosa but has not yet begun with the Business Program. Now in the planning phase, a community bank will be established as soon as feasible, followed by market studies and investment in an anchor business to provide additional capital.

Community Bank : No
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : Agriculture
Existing Microenterprises : None

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Santa Rosa 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 : 30%
Homes with Eco-Stoves : 96%
Homes 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.

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