The Floating Doctors: mobile medicine comes to the jungles of Panama | Health

‘A true blessing’

At the end of the second day of the clinic, the weary volunteers walk down a muddy hill to bathe in the cold water of a nearby river, as there are few showers available in the village. They dry off, enjoy a hot dinner and string up their hammocks for one last night.

Over the past two days, under the tropical heat and rain, they have seen 133 patients, providing help and treatment for a number of illnesses, from lesions and diarrhea to fever, cysts and pregnancy problems.

“As a physician, you are always faced with an uncertain and challenging environment that makes you question yourself,” says Dr. Geoff McCullen, an orthopedic surgeon and professor at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I think our students learned this week that they can deal with uncertainty and challenges, manage these complexities at the same time, and be decisive about what a patient needs.”

After nightfall, the group, wearing headlamps, discusses the medical cases they have witnessed and reflects on an experience that pushed them out of their comfort zones, both as people and as budding professionals.

“I had so many firsts this week,” said Cristina Kontogiannis, a second-year medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I have never listened to a baby’s lungs before and I had to do that here, for example. It has been a learning experience and I am so grateful for this opportunity.”

Serrano and the residents of La Sabana are also grateful. He said La Sabana is a close-knit community and they often praise and express the visits of the Floating Doctors during their regular meetings.

“There is a great need for this. We have many patients suffering from chronic diseases and many accidents, such as snake bites, machete cuts or children with broken bones,” said Serrano. “We are pleased and satisfied with the Floating Doctors, and they have learned how to be better equipped to deal with accidents and emergencies, and that was not always the case.”

On the final morning, the Floating Doctors load the duffel bags with medical equipment and strap them to the pack horses to begin the journey back to headquarters. The descent through the damp and swampy rainforest is easier than the trek up, and there is a sense of joy among the group, who laugh and sing during the sunny morning journey.

The bus waits for the group at Pueblo Nuevo, stops for lunch, and drops the group off at the port, where they load boats, strap on their life jackets, and zip back across the Caribbean. After arrival, the jubilant and exhausted team puts on their swimsuits. They take a final group photo and then jump together into the warm and clear water around the island.

In three months, another group of volunteers from Floating Doctors will make the same journey to La Sabana to provide care to residents in need. A few others will continue to Wari – about an hour’s walk deeper into the rainforest – to visit Omayra.

“Because of Omayra’s condition and inability to walk, I cannot work or leave her side, and we do not have the money to transport her to the hospital,” said Julian Abrego, Omayra’s father. “The fact that the Floating Doctors come all the way to our home to care for Omayra is a real blessing for us.”

Reporting for this story was supported by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Health Innovation Fellowship.