"I humbly thank you for visiting," health care provider Basilio Agenda told the workshop participants Wednesday as they toured his one-room wooden hut health post. He has worked as a community health provider for three years in Yuralpa Derecha, a small community 20 minutes by canoe from the Mondaña clinic in the Amazon Basin. Health care providers like Basilo treat minor illnesses and communicate to doctors by radio if prescription medicine is needed.

Participants visited Yuralpa Derecha and Los Rios communities on Wednesday to study tropical illnesses including Chagas’ Disease, diarrhea, leishmaniasis and snake bites

"I humbly thank you for visiting," health care provider Basilio told participants. Basilio has lived in this home for 25 years and has raised 13 children in Yuralpa Derecha.

Student reflection

Yanacha Lodge is part of an indigenous village - yet it is unlike the villages we were about to visit.  The Napo River is the centerpiece of the Ecuadorian Amazonian Basin, and on its banks are vastly spaced medical huts equipped with two way radios. The ill or injured seek medical attention at these stations– some walk seven miles to reach the huts.  Once at the river’s bank, if necessary the patient may travel more than an hour to a hospital by riverboat ambulance.  Otherwise, the health promoter, elected by the community, will treat the patient or wait until one of two doctors on call at the Mondaña Clinic visits the village.  With limited supplies the health promoter is able to treat illnesses such as fever, injuries, respiratory infections and first aid for snakebites.

My impression:  The people I met in the Amazonian Basin lack the insatiable wants which plague developed societies.  Moreover, their generosity is incredible.  A health promoter in Los Rios community greeted the group with fresh coconut milk, fruit and cheese after hiking an hour through the soaked jungle.  I’m sure it took all morning to prepare.

 Even though we have given $1300 of medicine to the medical centers here, I can’t help but feel that we are invading the privacy of these wonderful people.  Our intentions are to learn about the Amazonian healthcare system, culture and environment.  Yet I wonder what they think of us. I simply hope they realize we are sincere and hope to learn from this experience.

Joel Anders tries his Spanish with children from Yuralpa Derecha’s elementary school. The government mandates that all children attend school, although many drop out to help raise crops with the family. Those who attend high school must walk one or two hours to reach the school. There was a canoe (bus) to take school students; however, due to inflating gas prices, it is too expensive to run.

Mario Grijalva crosses a rope bridge to visit another health care provider in Los Rios, located 30 minutes by foot from the Napo River.