Flood Disaster Relief in Honduras

On June 6-13, 2010, a group of 16 first-year Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) students and three faculty preceptors traveled to Honduras in response to a call for help from the Ministry of Health, the President of Honduras, and the Baxter Institute after Tropical Storm Agatha created flash flooding and landslides in and around the populous capital city of Tegucigalpa. Tropical Storm Agatha destroyed 45 homes and many were at high risk for epidemics, causing a National State of Emergency to be declared.

The VCOM trip to Honduras had already been scheduled for several months, with plans quickly shifting to Disaster Response to Tropical Storm Agatha. The government identified five villages located within a two-hour drive from Tegucigalpa as flood disaster areas, including La Colonia Dora de Asfura, Colonia San Buenaventura, Colonia Altos del Paraiso, Guajire, and Aldea Rio Abajo. Four of the villages had no access to running water. Students worked with Vaden Blackwood, D.O., John Kauffman, D.O., and Dan Kelly, M.D., in provision of medical exams, treatment, medications, and medical supplies where necessary. The team was able to provide care to 200 patients in each village. In addition, VCOM and the James Moody Adams (JMA) Clinic at the Baxter Institute donated a provision of food, clothing, and shoes to patients and nearby shelter areas where those in need were gathered.

The Honduran Government and other relief agencies welcomed the VCOM medical team and actively supported activities during the week, sending members of the Mayor’s office each day from the capitol city of Tegucigalpa to assist the VCOM and JMA clinic staff. Fifteen members of the Mayor’s office came to the VCOM Friday evening dinner to bring greetings and appreciation from the government. A Representative of Congress who served as master of ceremonies brought gifts, expressed appreciation, and recited a poem, which was concluded by the joining of hands that symbolized the great accomplishments that can be made through teamwork, rather than efforts made alone. The Minister of Health, Minister of Transportation and Housing, and the President’s Office extended their desire for the VCOM and JMA partnership to provide long-term assistance in future sustainable health and disaster response in Honduras.

The trip had a strong effect on students as seen through written reflections. For example, student Alim Hamid writes, “the mission trip to Honduras was like no other, it was a very amazing experience […] The people there were very friendly and so appreciative of the assistance we were trying to provide.”

This Flood Relief Trip serves as a stellar example of the expanding VCOM Medical Outreach model of partnerships with the health systems and government offices to meet the most pressing needs in underserved care and disaster/emergency response. VCOM has successfully used this model to respond to other disasters including the 2008 flooding in Honduras and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, serving along the Dominican Republic/Haitian border. Over 1,000 citizens were served as a result of the trip and a much higher level of positive relationships with key partners in government, healthcare systems, and other non-governmental agencies were established.

International and Appalachian Outreach

Flood Disaster Relief in Honduras