Medical

Nestled in a remote southern Honduras valley, the tiny village of Santa Lucia initially provided the center of support for twenty thousand rural inhabitants. The industrious families which reside in the surrounding hills and valleys rely solely on their agrarian skills for a subsistence living. Health care was once an unaffordable luxury.
Until Shoulder to Shoulder and Hombro a Hombro began working together, the nearest health care facility was a five hour bus ride over a treacherous and occasionally impassable mountain road: a physically impossible journey for the sick or injured and financially out of the question for almost all of the residents.
Working "shoulder to shoulder," a medical clinic was constructed by U.S. and Honduran volunteers in 1994.  A modern dental clinic and nutrition center were added several years later. In the last 8 years, clinics have been built in Pinares, Guachicilimpito, and a second major clinc was completed in Concepcion.  The patients' problems run the gamut from primary and OB care and preventative needs to urgent life-threatening illnesses or injuries requiring surgical intervention.  Extensive women’s health care is provided, including prenatal care with regular ultrasound examinations.  Two fully equipped laboratories are in each of the main clinics in Santa Lucia and Concepcion. Digital radiography provides modern care in a very rural setting. 
In 2010, the projected patient “touches”, which include an widespread community outreach, will reach almost 60,000. 
While there is emphasis on providing direct medical care, the medical staff is a conduit to changing the determinants of health.  The medical staff is widely involved in nutrition, clean water, and clean air with the cookstove projects. Without connecting the causes of poor health with the treatment, no progress can be made.

Photo Gallery from the Santa Lucia Medical Center