The Hospital in Coca
By Tysen Anne Nowak and Chevone Warrington
On the third day of our Ecuadorian adventure, we visited the Provincial Hospital in Coca. Dr. Galo Chuncha was kind enough to provide a tour and answer our questions regarding healthcare delivery in rural Ecuador. Although the hospital was relatively large, there was only one doctor on staff at any time, and he usually only sees six to eight patients per day. The rest are just sent away. Despite the popular belief that rural communities develop a more close and personal relationship with their healthcare provider due to the smaller population, the doctors in Coca do not stay long enough to establish a consistent rapport. The doctors are actually graduating medical students from Quito finishing their community health rotations. This leads to inadequate patient care from inconsistent methods and the inability to truly document patient histories. The remainder of the hospital staff consists of two nurses, two aids and a specialist. All healthcare personnel live together in a home provided by the hospital.
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The hospital is separated into various wards, separate men’s and women’s rooms, and areas for pediatrics and oncology cases. Although there is an emergency room, this hospital is not equipped to handle any trauma cases, including premature and other complicated births. The closest trauma center is in Quito, located over 8 hours away via car. The unfortunate truth is that any real emergency may just easily be renamed a casualty. The outdated hospital equipment and facilities did not surprise us. The lack of sanitation however was perplexing. It would seem logical that a clean floor and graffiti-free walls would be a result of work ethic rather than finances. Animals wandered the halls freely, even amidst the surgical areas. Bed and patient linens were washed by hand in what was probably contaminated water and then air dried. We also were confused by the lack of privacy, and the patients’ blasé attitude toward our curious eyes. This visit made me realize that instead of complaining about our healthcare system, we should be grateful for it. |
