Yesterday and today we were able to visit more healthcare centers. The first, a clinic run by an NGO, shared with us some of the programs they provide just beyond health care as there are so many aspects to health than just medicine. My favorite example was how they were trying to combat malnourishment by using meal worm farms to provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of protein. I really like it because it is type of creative solution that is needed in these situations.
The general hospital was a different kind of surprise as had just as many beds as LA County hospital but their distribution per room meant that the actual size of the hospital was much smaller.
From these visits, I have begun to realize that Western Medicine doesn’t translate well into low resource environments, not just because there is limited access to certain tools, but because there are larger issues that Western practitioners aren’t used to facing and that prevent some tools from being able to be used properly.
Nick in Guatemala 