Cristobal Colón - Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador
Poverty, rural isolation, dangerous working conditions, tropical diseases, unsafe water sources, and limited access to basic services – this is the health reality for the families of Cristobal Colón and the surrounding watershed. With the first step into this frontier town in the Ecuadorian coastal plains, the severe health shortcomings are blatant. Tragically, a comprehensive investigation of the health conditions reveals an even more harrowing truth.
Quick Facts
● Population of Cristobal Colón...................................................................................................660
● Population of entire watershed............................................................................................. 3000
● Average number of occupants per household........................................................................8.1
● Average monthly income per adult (self-reported, $ USD)......................................................38
● Average number of children per woman (women in age cohort: 30-45 yrs).........................7.6
● Percentage of women who give birth in their homes without medical assistance...................64
● Percentage of adults who receive no preventative medical care............................................80
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE Although Cristobal Colón marks the last stop of the infrequent bus – where the narrow dirt road literally disappears into the Canande River – for its residents and many of its neighbors, the small town represents not the last, but the first point of contact to modern amenities...(Continue Reading)
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE A small country on the tropical Pacific coast of South America, Ecuador is known for its pristine rainforests, dramatic Andean peaks, and the captivating Galapagos Islands. The famed biodiversity and landscapes, however, hide a tragic reality...(Continue Reading)