Palajunoj Valley, Guatemala - I’m fortunate enough to come from an environment that offers health care for practically every condition under the sun. There are loads of diseases that are even eradicated before they have the opportunity to reach me and for the ones that do I can be guaranteed that if I have sufficient cash in my bank account I can be cured of just about anything. But there is a world that lies very close to this one that has a very scary and different reality.

I visited a clinic on the outskirts of Xela that specialized almost solely in parasites, respiratory and skin infection. Parasites like amoebas are contracted from food and not washing your hands, and respiratory infections mostly from dust. Quite simple conditions to implement preventative measures for one would think. But when daily necessities become a challenge to get, like drinking water, a balanced diet, or health care (which includes daily needs like soap) simple things like keeping hands clean become almost impossible.

Guatemala offers free medical consultation in their hospitals but no free medicine. So many don’t bother to make the over 1 hour walk to the government hospital, as even if they are correctly diagnosed they will not be able to afford to be cured. This is where Primeros Pasos steps into action and offers medicine like metronivazol for amoebas free to the public. Most of their work does not happen in the clinic but in schools in the region which they visit to collect stool samples to test for parasites and run education programs that include everything from identifying ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods to hygiene, childrens rights, gang violence, natural disasters and puberty and sexual education. Even where drinking water is scarce knowledge is king, and implementation of these programs are mobilizing these communities against forgotten killers.

I catch a 15 minute bus ride back to the other reality, where I sip a hot chocolate in a comfy coffee lounge. I wonder if there are any parasites in this? Then I look at the price of the drink and wonder how much the 5 day prescription of medicine costs? It cant be much more. I compare this to what it would cost to treat a child with chronic diarrhea and vomiting in a clinic?

Prevention is the way to stop these diseases. Education is the first wave. Access to basic facilities is the second. How long will it take for government to realize that mobilizing communities with these is far cheaper and more pleasant than treating the sick in hospital?

Links:

Primeros Pasos: http://www.primerospasos.org