My first thought when I stepped foot on Roatan was that this island was like a tropical paradise! Everywhere, I saw palm trees and colorful flowers; in the distance was a beautiful ocean with glistening water, and although the climate was quite hot and humid, the occasional soft breeze made the heat more than tolerable. Walking down the dirt road to Miss Peggy’s apartment where I now live, however, I was struck by the harsh conditions under which Hondurans reside—run-down houses built close together in clumps, with trash lining the dusty pathways, and the strong smell of garbage prevalent in the air. I had a feeling that although the trees and the earth seemed to be in perfect harmony, the people of Honduras endured many challenges each day.
Arriving at the hospital on my first day at the clinic, I understood that one of these challenges must be long wait-times necessary to see a doctor. Up to 50 people were waiting on the three or so benches that lined the hallway leading up to the Roatan Volunteer Pediatric Clinic. Mothers and their children clustered closely together as they waited to be called in this hospital—and unlike the hospitals in the states, this one was a rather short dusty brown building that blended in with the rest of the convenient stores and small family-run businesses in Coxen Hole.
The clinic that Global Healing itself was more appealing with its soft baby blue color and the “Healthy Eating” posters lining the walls. It didn’t take me too long to learn that many children here love to drink fanta and frescos, and weren’t eating correctly. Interestingly, the kids coming who came to clinic did not suffer from obesity—instead, many were diagnosed with Failure to Thrive and poor growth. One particular child, at one year of age, was at only 6.2 kilograms! He had bulging eyes that were too large for his rather small head, and a spinal cord that seemed to protrude from his backside in several small spikes. The baby suffered from many seizures, but he came due to other illnesses as well. It was overwhelming to see how just one child presented with so many different problems.
In the four days I have spent thus far at clinic, I have learned so much about the common health problems that the kids here must deal with. The most frequent case I’ve seen is diarrhea and a loss of a appetite, caused by worms. I’ve realized that the kids here suffer from many things that we never really even think about when we’re in the states—about 90% of the kids have parasites, perhaps due to fecal matter and other contaminants often present in the water. In fact, the government mandates the administration of Mebendazol to all children every six months just because it is that prevalent. Other common illnesses include asthma, a variety of skin rashes, and of course, the fevers and coughs often found in young children.
Through conversations with the residents and the attending, I’ve also learned that in underdeveloped countries such as Honduras, the lack of medical resources is a huge problem. It’s so common in the states to order lab tests and brain scans so as to better evaluate a medical situation, but here, such options are not available—and even if they were, parents would most likely forego them due to the high cost. Therefore, I think a skill more valuable than a vast knowledge of the full treatment of various diseases, is the ability to almost improvise-- use what you have to treat illnesses you suspect present.
I’ve spent most of this first week adjusting to the island, exploring West End with its variety of restaurants and tourist shops, and enjoying the gelato and clear turquoise beaches of West Bay. Just today, I spent an entire afternoon at Gumbalimba Park to volunteer at an event Miss Peggy ran to fundraise for Clinica Esperanza. What I like about Roatan is that it’s a beautiful place with so many friendly people! However, the problems of poor health and education remain at the forefront of my mind, and in addition to working at the hospital, I plan to volunteer at the Learning Center starting next week. I’m not quite sure what to expect yet, but I hope I’ll be able to teach English to the kids and impact their lives in some small way by also providing a bit of health education.
