Estero de platano - health

Estero de Plátano - Health and wellbeing.


Integrated Health Promotion

Facts at a glance:

Local Counterparts/ Participating Organizations

- Yanapuma Foundation
-Peace Corps
-Ministry of Public Health Atacames & Health Sub-Center Estero de Plátano 
- Local Community Action Groups 
-Ministry of Health, Muisne, Esmeraldas Province, Ecaudor

Financiers

We are currently seeking funding for this project

Location

Estero de Plátano

Beneficiaries

Direct: 120 families

Components

Health surveys (General public health, more focused health survey, and nutrition)

Capacity development in reproductive and sexual health, hygiene, and domestic water purification with community groups and local school

Improving access tolocal public health programs

Brief Description of Project:

In 2009 the Yanapuma Foundation completed a general public health survey, which revealed important information about the health situation in Estero de Plátano. It was found that there is a lack of a diverse diet, creating problems with obesity and possible heart complications. Considering these findings it is important to complete a more comprehensive health survey which will give statistical evidence of health vectors.  From initial observation and focus group meetings it was also found that there was a desire for more information about reproductive, sexual and preventive health practices. Many families in the region are made up of 5 or more children and many girls are having children at very young ages. Both these circumstances cause a strain on resources for families to support so many children as well as impede girls to continue their education. We aim to promote preventative and reproductive health practices in innovative and interactive ways using drama and theater to motivate people to analyze these issues.

In addition there is a need to test local water sources to find the exact sources of contamination before finding solutions to avoid such contamination. Education about safe water drinking and hygiene practices is of critical importance to avoid the spread of disease and parasites. Although there is a water system in Estero de Platano, it does not provide clean drinking water as the pipes are contaminated. Yanapuma is actively developing partnerships with local organizations to develop a solution to this problem by providing purified drinking water. Also, the lack of refuse collection and separation continues to be an important possible health risk as it enters the local watershed, often used for drinking and cooking. Yanapuma is actively advocating with local counterparts for the delivery of a refuse collector, using local media to signal the importance of trash collection in a very important environmental region. The need to find solutions to water and refuse will be of critical importance in the coming year.

General Objective:

Investigate the most critical health issues and find solutions together with community action groups

Specific Objectives:

  1. Investigate sources of contamination and health risks, especially looking at local populations that live away from the main road and who have little or no access to basic health services
  2. Begin to form components of a preventive health education program together with community action groups and the local school

2009 project activities:

  • Complete more focused health and nutrition surveys
  • Increase access and knowledge of local available programs at health center
  • Advocate with refuse action group for a regular trash pick up schedule
  • Begin integrated health promotion through dynamic and interactive exercises with the youth action group and the local school