Hey gringo
BMJ 2003; 326 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.030224 (Published 01 February 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;326:030224
- Jenny Hall, fourth year medical student1
- 1University of Manchester
Until about three months ago I would have had trouble finding Honduras on a map, so I had no idea what to expect during my summer there. Honduras--the “knee” of Central America--is probably most widely known because of the devastation left by Hurricane Mitch in October 1998. It's the third poorest country in Central America with 53% of the population living below the poverty line.1
Infectious diseases are rampant owing to dirty water, bad hygiene, poor education, and crowded living conditions; this is compounded by poor health practices, even by healthcare professionals. I saw only one sharps box in the hospital, and I'm sure I was the only one using it--everyone else dropped needles on the floor.
Honduran hospitals and health
People have to pay for health care in Honduras, and hospitals are basic. I spent four weeks living in Danli, an agricultural town in the south. I worked in the Gabriela Alvarado Hospital, where even my basic skills were desperately needed. It is the main health facility for a population of over 400 000; it has one operating theatre (about the size of a British hospital side room), two delivery beds, and around 20 beds …
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