Rural Health Clinics

Sensenti, Ocotepeque
Sensenti, a colonial village community near the Guatemala and El Salvador borders, is a traditional farming town of just over 1,500 inhabitants. Looking out from the belfry of Sensenti's colonial church, it seems that time stands still and 1599 and 1999 are almost indistinguishable. The health center in Sensenti, staffed by three nurses and one physician borrowed sporadically from a town located an hour away, serves an area of 5,000 distributed throughout 16 villages. The health center has been neglected for several years, to the point that part of the roof actually caved in during a patient consult. The primary physical plant repairs needed are a new roof, interior and exterior doors, electrictrical wiring, window glass and frame replacement, and plumbing. In addition, the clinic requires a holding tank for water, since water arrives to the clinic every two to three days for a few hours at a time. The cost of materials for this project is calculated at $4,000 and labor for the project, staffed with Honduran workers, will run a total of $575.

Cucuyagua, Copán
Cucuyagua lies west of the capital of Copán on the road to Guatemala and is a crossroads for commerce from smaller villages to Santa Rosa. The health center in Cucuyagua is staffed with a full-time physician, two nurses, lab technician and two health promoters who provide health education in nearby communities. The center serves an area of 11,500 and sees an average of 35 patients per day. Major physical plant repairs to be made include interior doors, paint, electrical wiring, window frames and glass, and plumbing. As in Sensenti, the health center in Cucuyagua has a water system that is irregular at best, so a holding tank is of top priority. Materials will cost a total of $3,000 and a team of Honduran workers will complete the repairs for $1,650.00.

Corquín, Copán
The town of Corquín holds a mix of commerce and agriculture; the long history of the community is reflected in its cobblestone streets and traditional church. Corquín, similar in size to Cucuyagua and with an area of service of 11,100, has both a public health center as well as a maternity center. While the maternity center was recently constructed, the health center is in very poor condition. The floor has settled in many parts of the center, none of the windows have glass or screens and water is a scarce commodity. PLAN, also known as Foster Parents International, has committed to repairing the floor of the center. CAMO therefore will focus on window glass and screens, plumbing and a water tank, and interior and exterior doors. The total cost of materials is $2,500 and labor is calculated at $755.

San Pedro de Copán
San Pedro de Copán is a quiet village of a thousand inhabitants, mostly farmers. The traditional white-washed adobe houses and rustic feel lend an insulated atmosphere to the town and its surroundings. The health center, which serves an area of almost 5,000 men, women and children, is a relatively recent construction but has several pressing problems. The rural water system that serves the center is unreliable, which necesitates the construction of a concrete holding tank. Only two of the center's seven rooms have plumbing; windows lack screens and glass. The electrical wiring is exposed where several holes in the roof let in rain. The building also requires new exterior doors and paint. The total cost of materials is estimated at $3,000 and a crew of Honduran workers can complete the work at $700.

Lepaera, Lempira
Lepaera is a small city of 3,500 nestled in the hills an hour and a half from Santa Rosa. It is one of the largest areas of cattle and coffee production in western Honduras. Founded in the 1600's, Lepaera still preserves much of its isolated charm and beauty. Though the town boasts many modern amenities, it is only accessible by a narrow, rutted dirt road. The health center is no larger than those of Cucuyagua or Corquín and yet its staff is responsible for an area three times the population of the other two centers. One physician, two nurses and one lab technician see up to seventy patients a day. The size of the building, its equipment and facilities are inadequate for such a large patient load. However, there is no room to expand on the property that the center was built on in 1972. Since it was erected, the center has become run down, with a leaky roof, inadequate electrical system, erratic water service, and woodwork that is infested with termites. Materials are calculated at $5,500 and total labor costs at $1,500. The figures listed above show the cost of reworking the present structure; with a patient area of 33,000 it seems that a new, larger health center is required. The mayor of Lepaera has stated that he will find a well-placed parcel of land to donate for any new public health clinic construction. The total estimated cost for a new facility is $40,000 for materials and labor.