We will be running a free medical clinic seeing all patients from general medicine, to cardiology, to obgyn, to pediatrics, to orthopedics, and also have a team of physical/occupational therapists and pharmacists coming with us. All our supplies are donated, including medications to treat the diseases we see. We bring an ultrasound machine to have an imaging modality that is useful. As a General Surgery PA, I am able to incise abscesses and treat wounds, educate patients on their hernias and gallbladder disease, treat their gastritis/peptic ulcer disease, to name a few. We are also bringing down supplies to donate to the hospital they are building, as their previous hospital burned down last year and currently they have no access to public healthcare.
The people on this Bay Island off the coast of Honduras have little to no access to healthcare. Their only public hospital was on a neighboring island and it burned down last year. If they are sick their only option is to fly to the mainland which is obviously not only inconvenient but costly. Many patients are uneducated and do not know preventative care or how their disease works. Our team not only treats them but gives them this education. We also fund transportation and hospital bills for those sick enough to need transfer to the mainland for care while we are there.
Besides treating their acute illnesses, I think the education they receive is what is most long-lasting. To be able to spend a lengthy amount of time with each patient is invaluable. We also have donated hospital beds, operation tables, ultrasound machines (to name a few) for the new hospital they're trying to build. The long-lasting effects of this are clear. We also document every encounter so that the local providers will know what our care plan is moving forward. While there, we teach providers/nurses how to use the ultrasound machines we brought so they can use them moving forward.
We visited Guanaja, Honduras which is one of the Bay Islands off the coast of the mainland. It is a fairly remote island that only has one road—most inhabitants get around via boat instead of car. There are about 10,000 people. There is no hospital on the island. In fact, there is one main doctor that serves the entire island. He is essentially on call 24/7. There are no imaging modalities on the island, no way to draw any labs/bloodwork, and no way to even sterilize instruments. There is only one wheelchair on the WHOLE island they have to pass around. The lack of resources there screams loudly. Our team was able to donate the island’s very first ultrasound machine which will provide them with a plethora of life-saving tools. We had an ultrasound technician with us who was able to train the local physician. While we were present, we ran a free medical clinic to serve these people. They called it “Christmas in March,” because they were so excited we were there. Not only were we able to diagnose and treat these patients, bringing our own full-fledged pharmacy of drugs with us, but we were able to help train and teach the local staff. The training we have received in the United States is incomparable to what they have in Honduras and passing along our knowledge was another important aspect of the trip to leave a more lasting impact. We kept records of all the patients we saw in order to provide continuity of care for their local care team. We also brought with us a multitude of mobility equipment (walkers, canes, etc) which is so desperately needed there.
We saw over 1,100 patients in our five days of clinic. The specialties of providers in our group included: Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Cardiology, Orthopedics, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Physical and Occupational Therapy. There were ten providers total, and several additional nurses, a pharmacist, and ancillary people for triage and documentation. Our group totaled 27. I represented General Surgery. Since there are no operating rooms there, my niche included minor procedures such as cyst excision, abscess incision and drainage, laceration repairs, and wound care. I basically ran a “lumps and bumps” clinic, and helped all the fishermen with their battle wounds and cuts from their work day. I enjoyed having the whole week there so patients could follow up with me every day to perform their dressing changes and monitor their progress. I also saw patients in general medicine, including treatment plans for common diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The lack of education around these diseases is shocking. Many patients told me how they’ve never actually been touched by a physician there, let alone educated on how diet affects their diabetes, for example. I felt I was able to give them a bit of their power and dignity back by giving them this education. It’s amazing what human connection and physical touch can do.
When patients came in sick enough to require a higher level of care, our organization helped arrange transfer for them to a hospital on a nearby island called Roatan. The only way there was by plane, so we were tremendously helpful for offloading this financial hardship for the patient and their families. Our next goal is to help fundraise and acquire equipment for running labs—as the entire island has no way to analyze blood work which is essential in treating their illnesses.
The island of Guanaja itself is unlike anywhere I’ve been: a lush, serene, Caribbean paradise. The people are kind, funny, grateful, and resilient. I would go back in a heartbeat because of them. The perspective I gained is what I will take away most. It’s what drives me to want to continue this type of work. I am immeasurably grateful to the Dox foundation for helping me have this opportunity and I look forward to the trips to come.
