Clinica Esperanza

---

This week is Semana Santa (Easter week) and its a big holiday/spring break week for all of Central America. Roatan is expecting 12,000 additional tourists from surrounding countries and the mainland--on top of the usual cruise ship dockings that occur 2-3 times a week. The clinic at the hospital is closed, so Peggy asked if Amy would help out at her clinic since they were going to be short-staffed.

Clinica Esperanza is in Sandy Bay (a town between West End and Coxen Hole) and was just opened about a month ago. Its a bit unfinished, but they are already seeing about 50 patients a day. Amy saw the pediatrics patients (and a few parents as well) on Monday and Tuesday. They have more support staff than her usual clinic--2 nurses in addition to Peggy, plus Dan and a receptionist. Their "farmacia" of donated medications is quite impressive! The clinic also has a dentist office and a currently unfinished second floor that is going to be labor and delivery (for private patients) and a pediatrics inpatient ward.

One benefit of Semana Santa is that the Honduran government brought in two new generators for the week and the power has remained on for the most part.

---