Capital Projects and Facility Improvements

CAMO has conducted several major projects in Honduras.

  • Laundry
  • Library
  • Pediatric feeding center
  • Nursing library
  • Two clinic reconstructions
  • Community center/gym
  • Major hospital electrical backbone and back upsystem replacement.
  • Day-care nursery reconstruction
  • Day-care kitchen reconstruction
  • Day-care water system installation
  • The mobile medical equipment repair vehicle (MMERV)
The following are highlights of a few of the capital projects.
The Medical Library: $70,000
CAMO, with Rotary International support, constructed and equipped a medical library on the grounds of the Hospital Regional de Occidente (HRO). This teaching hospital was not equipped with a teaching and research space for the staff. With this addition, the classrooms, library, computer networking, and associated medical facilities, medical students have the resources to complete their training and provide better care for the patients. This addition has also resulted in the hospital being used by major international health organizations such as WHO, the CDC and USAID to further assist in meeting the needs in Central America.
  
The Laundry Project: $100,000
The laundry staff (4 women) of HRO washed nearly 800 pounds of laundry by hand every day.
Before CAMO
  • Hospital staff depended on the elements to dry patient and surgical linens.
  • Surgeries were routinely canceled due to lack of dry, sterile linens.
  • Patients lay on soiled sheets, or without bed linens.
  • Laundry staff worked in dangerous, unsanitary conditions without protection.
After CAMO
  • An industrial laundry was designed and built to meet the specific requirements of the HRO.
  • Laundry is organized by department so that clean linens never come into contact with soiled ones.
  • Staff work in clean, safe conditions.
  • Equipment is up-to-date and fully functional. Staff is trained to use equipment.
  • There are now sufficient linens for all areas of the hospital, including sterile linens for surgery
The Kitchen Project: $68,000
Before CAMO
  • Prepared and served 1,000 meals per day
  • Contaminated food, no refrigeration
  • Wood burning stoves and ovens
  • Smoky conditions
  • Rat infested food storage area
After CAMO
  • New kitchen facility with ventilation
  • Includes cafeteria with food warmers
  • Replaced wood burning stoves
  • Refrigeration (walk-in freezer & cooler)
  • Ovens, grills, fryers
  • Clean food storage area

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CAMO Distribution Center: $200,000
At present, CAMO serves around 100,000 people a year in Central America and receives over $2 million dollars in donated supplies, professional services and financial contributions. To facilitate the efficient distribution of medical supplies, a distribution center was built in Honduras in 2003 and is now operated by CAMO’s Central American counterpart, Fundación CAMO. Fundación CAMO serves as CAMO USA’s local partner and conduit to the community. Fundación CAMO employs 17 Honduran staff who assist in implementing the 15 programs that CAMO has developed and funded. 
  
   
Electrical Project: $250,000
CAMO, in a collaborative effort with the Noble Foundation of Wooster, Ohio and the Inter-American Development Bank, under took its most ambitious project to date. The Hospital Regional de Occidente was completely re-wired. Readily available equipment couldn’t be used because of the weak system. With this new system, complete with generator back up, the hospital is able to take large steps forward in terms of the type and amount of equipment it can use to provide better care to the region.