Our Community
Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is the oldest permanent settlement in Roatan, was founded shortly after April 12, 1797, when some 3,000 Garífuna deportees from the Caribbean island of San Vicente were stranded on Roatan by the British.
The majority of the people in Punta Gorda are Catholics. They mix Catholicism with Santeria and black magic.
The Primary Health Center is set up to serve the people in Punta Gorda who have little or no access to primary and immediate healthcare.
Medical care is limited or no-existent in parts of Punta Gorda and some other communities in Santos.
Proper care of injuries and illness can be postponed by days because of lack of medical facilities in this area.
We have been aware of specific instances where young and old have not received adequate care and lives have been lost because of the lack of medical facilities in this area/region.
History
The poverty rate in Honduras has been increasing , rising from 58% in 2007 to 65% in 2014. While 65% of the Honduran population is in poverty, roughly 8% of the population does not have access to quality health care.
Many families are forced to pay for treatment they cannot afford, or forgo medical attention completely.
In the island of Roatan healthcare and treatment is even more limited due to its isolation. While the strong tourist economy brings in much of Roatan’s revenue and aids local businesses, it has done little to encourage the government to provide residents with decent access to healthcare.
Current Health Needs
There are several dominant health concerns in Punta Gorda. In general, some of the most predominant health concerns in Roatan can be summarized as follows:
Mosquito-borne Illnesses:
Malaria – this potentially deadly disease is particularly prevalent in regions of the island that are at altitudes of greater than 1000 meters
Dengue fever – this disease is particularly prevalent in the departments of Olancho, Atlantida, and Choluteca, as well as in the cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula
Severe Air Pollution:
Acute respiratory problems – there are well over 100,000 cases of such problems reported annually in this region
The severe air pollution also aggravates respiratory problems, particularly for those with existing respiratory/cardiac conditions and of those of very young/old ages
Chronic Diseases:
Hypertension – High blood pressure.
Diabetes – Disease in which the body is unable to produce enough insulin, causing elevated levels of glucose in the blood.