Honduras has one of the world’s highest murder rates in the world. The country’s violence is fueled by international criminal organizations and street gangs. In addition, half the country’s population lives below the poverty line, with half of that group considered to be surviving in extreme poverty.

Honduran police and security forces are striving to stop the violence and improve peace and stability. In order to reduce the negative influence of these criminal organizations and gangs, US advisors, local leaders, and the security forces are combining their efforts to support a community outreach initiative in the most heavily impacted regions of Honduras. General health care and lack of medical training has been identified as the areas’ greatest need. Due to a shortcoming in the healthcare system, there are little government services and locals do not have access to emergency medical care. Police are often the first to respond to a violent crime yet are unable to provide the level of aid needed to sustain victims until they are able to reach higher medical attention.

To combat these situations, US advisors and their local partners will facilitate one particularly critical area’s first medical outreach initiative and medical training for local police. These events will provide medical support to approximately 20,000 residents and create a first responder program that will save lives. Some services that will be provided at the medical outreach are: Pre-clinic, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Pediatrics, Gynecology, Geriatrics and General Medicine. For most of the locals, this will be the only way for them to receive medical attention. Additionally, the first responder training will allow qualified medics to conduct emergency medical procedures for injured police officers and civilians after responding to fatalities caused by frequent shootings in some of Honduras’s most violent areas.

Unfortunately, the Honduran security forces lack first responder emergency medical kits, and the basic equipment to evaluate the locals for medical attention during the initial screening process. They need stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, Ace wrap bandages, and IFAK kits. Spirit of America can fill this gap. With your donation, the equipment will assist the Honduran police successfully treat the local population, help them conduct future medical outreach programs, and perhaps most importantly, create a training pipeline for first responders that will save lives.