COUNTRY / PROBLEM
Panama is a state of demographic and economic contrasts. Its economy is recognised as one of the fastest growing in Latin America, but there are large social inequalities in the country, and the indigenous people often live in poverty. Despite numerous governmental social programmes aimed at combating poverty, there are still areas with shortages of drinking water, medical care, and sanitary facilities.
ORGANISATION
The Floating Doctors organisation is involved in providing medical assistance to indigenous people living in the villages of the Bocas el Toro province on the west coast of Panama. It reaches its patients by water, using motorboats, which allow access even to the most remote areas.
Ben La Brot is a physician from the United States, who established Floating Doctors in 2009. The organisation operates based on the work of volunteers: doctors, nurses, and medical students from various countries.
In Panama, the organisation’s area of activity covers hard-to-reach terrain of almost 30 thousand square kilometres, and the members of Floating Doctors have several dozen local communities under their care. If it were not for their help, most of the people they reach most likely would not have any medical care.
PROJECTS
Kulczyk Foundation provided Floating Doctors with financial support for:
- purchase of medicines,
- purchase and repair of motorboats.
