At the Juan Manuel Gálvez Hospital in rural Honduras, babies born too soon once faced slim odds of survival. No equipment and a lack of specialized training meant many fragile lives were lost before they had a chance to begin.
But in early 2025, everything changed.
Thanks to a partnership between CAMO and Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics in Oregon, modern neonatal equipment—along with something even more powerful—arrived: education. A team of U.S. professionals, including respiratory therapists Karen Schell and Dana Henscheid, and neonatal specialist Mary Sayler, trained Honduran staff in life-saving techniques like CPAP, oxygen delivery, and neonatal stabilization.
The results were immediate. Within days, premature twins survived thanks to the new care protocols. And in just a few months, the hospital’s neonatal mortality rate dropped from 22.6% to 7.7%.
“We’ve improved survival not just because of better equipment,” said Dr. Douglas Carranza, head of pediatrics, “but because our team now has the training to use it effectively.”
This story is a reminder: when knowledge is shared, lives are saved. Sustainable healthcare is not built on supplies alone—it depends on skilled hands, informed minds, and cross-border collaboration.
CAMO continues to deliver both: equipment and education. Together, they bring hope where it’s needed most.
By the Numbers: Impact of Training + Equipment
- 6% ➝ 7.7%
Drop in neonatal mortality at Juan Manuel Gálvez Hospital (July 2024 to May 2025) - 58 newborns treated for serious complications in late 2024
- 17 deaths
- 26 newborns treated in early 2025
- Only 2 deaths
- 9 containers of medical equipment and supplies delivered by CAMO in the past year
- 16,504 boxes of materials
- 282 major medical equipment items
- Valued at over $2.5 million USD
- Lives saved: priceless
