Health centre project in San Jacinto, Ecuador

Photo: R.Bales

24 in very 1,000 children die before their first birthday in Ecuador

This project is now fully funded. Many thanks to all supporters for their contributions.

The situation

In Ecuador, pregnancy and birth are fraught with dangers. 24 in every 1,000 children die before their first birthday (compared with 5 in 1,000 in the UK) and most women and infants have no access to obstetricians and essential medical equipment.

In San Jacinto, in the northwest of Ecuador, 41 in every 1,000 children die before their first birthday, nearly double the national average. This high figure represents the extreme poverty in the area.

The high infant mortality rate reflects not only the health of mothers and the lack of medical attention and advice they receive during pregnancy and delivery, but also the lack of healthcare for children during their first year of life. 

Many children in San Jacinto have never had a dental check resulting in the early loss of their teeth. The lack of medical attention can cause abscesses and cavities to spread, causing serious illness or in some circumstances even death.

San Jacinto has a health centre that is the only one available to families living in 20 local communities, a total of 2,800 people. But the health centre is in need of refurbishment and two new wards - a maternity and early childhood ward, and a dental ward.

Aims and activities of our projects

With your help Plan can improve San Jacinto's health centre and help give mothers and children essential medical attention. Plan aims to:

• Repair San Jacinto's health centre - building and equipping two new wards to provide better maternity and dental services
• Provide safer deliveries during pregnancy and better post-delivery care and advice for mother and baby
• Increase access to dental care - helping children have strong disease-free teeth
• Promote awareness of preventative measures against dental disease and to ensure healthy pregnancies and deliveries - people will also be encouraged to visit the health centre

Community participation

Plan is working closely with San Jacinto's community leaders and health centre staff, as local participation to improve and sustain the health centre is essential to its success.

Community meetings are ongoing and the community are responsible for sourcing local materials, suppliers and labourers for the construction. Medical and dental 'brigades' will also be established within the communities, made up of locally trained volunteers, to help spread basic healthcare advice and promote the health centre's facilities.

The improved health centre will make a great difference to 2,800 people living in 20 local communities. Contributing to safer deliveries during pregnancy and better post-delivery care and advice for mother and baby, as well as strong disease-free teeth for children.