The disparity of access to qualified health care professionals is extremely high in low and middle income countries such as Honduras, where there is only 3.1 physicians per 10,000 people. The availability for care decreases even more for those communities isolated in mountainous terrain & islands. This truth promoted founder Peggy Stranges to commit to bringing quality health care to the island of Roatan and develop the freestanding hospital that is Clinica Esperanza.
Clinica Esperanza was first opened in 2001 and is located in Roatan off the coast of Honduras. The clinic serves as one of the only quality medical facilities on an island populated by over 100,000 people. Patients come from all over Roatan, the other Bay Islands, as well as the mainland of Honduras. Clinica Esperanza provides a number of services to more than 25,000 patients annually, 75% being female. Patients are treated for urgent and acute care problems, as well as chronic problems requiring life-long care. Some problems are too complex for a clinic visit, and these patients are referred to the local public hospital, or to the mainland. In addition, the clinic has been instrumental in facilitating the transfer of a number of patients to the U.S. for services not available in Honduras. The clinic has grown in its medical capacity over the years and is nationally known for their outstanding Diabetic counseling program. The vision of the clinic is to bring hope to all the people of the Bay Islands of Honduras.
Medical needs at this facility:
- Family Practice
- Nurse Practitioner
- Internal Medicine
- Ultrasound technician
- Physical Therapist
- Surgeons
- Anesthesiologist
- Pharmacy Tech
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Assistant
Our staff often serve as faculty in established training programs and residencies raising up the next generation of health professionals. Others train national staff in less formal environments. Building local capacity is central to the identity of the Christian Health Service Corps, therefore we actively seek out places where we can have a lasting impact by discipling, and training local Christian physicians, nurses and health professionals to serve i
n their own communities.
CHSC support staff needs at this facility:
- Social media/office assistant (Spanish speaking highly recommend)
- Maintenance
- Biomedical engineer
Language: The national language is Spanish though most native Islanders speak English.