 |  |  |  |  |  |
Overview
The region Ak’ Tenamit works in is one of the poorest in Guatemala, and the public health situation there is alarming. Q'eqchi' Maya villages in our area suffer from high incidence of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, as well as high maternal and infant mortality. Chronic diseases often go untreated until it is too late, and children commonly die from curable gastrointestinal ailments. Ak' Tenamit’s Health Program consequently works to increase awareness of health problems and access to basic healthcare, to improve nutrition and general sanitary conditions, and to fight endemic diseases. Though Ak’ Tenamit’s health budget is currently less than $15 per person served, we’ve shown that through the use of education, preventative medicine, and local health promoters, it is possible to have a significant impact with a very limited budget.
The health program is based in the Ak’ Tenamit Clinic, on the Río Dulce, which is staffed by Q'eqchi' health promoters and international volunteers (physicians, nurses and medical students). The Clinic is open six days a week and provides emergency care 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Most people have to hike or paddle for hours to reach the clinic which treats more than 5000 patients each year. Ak Tenamit makes about 120 such evacuations per year at a cost of $100 per evacuation.
Most of the 6,000 people our health program serves are treated by medical teams, which visit 41 remote Q’eqchi Maya communities once every four weeks. Those health professionals also train and work with village heath promoters, who provide basic care between health team visits. Motorcycles are often used to carry equipment, vaccines and other medicines to remote villages, but most medical staff spend hours each week hiking up muddy jungle trails. Since there are no pharmacies in our area, Ak’ Tenamit provides medicines to patients who pay for them by donating labor to the project. When possible, we purchase medicines at a reduced cost from Guatemala’s Ministry of Health, but we rely heavily on donated medicine and medical supplies, and cash donations for the purchase of medicine.Please consider becoming a Health Partner for $120 per year!
Health: Overview | Clinic & Dental Health | HIV & AIDS | Women's Health | Help Us Provide
