Juan Diaz, Panama
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General Information
| Population* | 1000 |
| Number of homes | 300 |
| Avg # of people per home | 3-4 |
| Electricity | In parts |
| Corregimiento | Juan Diaz |
| District | Anton |
| Corresponding Health Center | Anton |
| Distance from compounds | 1 hour |
| Road conditions | Excellent |
* Population does not reflect how many patients will be seen on medical
brigades as many people from surrounding communities come seeking
Medical Brigades medical attention.
Top Needs Expressed
The top needs expressed by the key community members are road access to all of the community, improving the water aqueduct, and spreading electricity throughout the community.
The community of Juan Diaz has one primary school that teaches children between the grades of Kindergarten and 6th grade. At the school, a team of 16 teachers handle approximately 215 students. The building has 14 classrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, an office for the teachers, a library, and a computer lab. The nearest secondary school is in San Juan de Dios.
The water system in Juan Diaz uses a gravity and turbine system. The system is maintained by a water committee, which has 7 members; the committee meets monthly and chlorinates the water system once a month as well. All of the community members are connected to the water system and pay $2.00 per month to use it. The water system functions very well during the rainy season but sometimes stops running during the dry season.
The closest health center to Juan Diaz is in Anton, which is about 20 minutes away. The most common ailments are common colds, allergies, fevers, and coughs. The closest source of dental care is also in Anton.
The community members of Juan Diaz have several sources of employment: agriculture, cattle ranching, technical work, and tourism work. The main agricultural products grown in Juan Diaz are corn and yuca, a potato-like root vegetable. Currently, there is no access to credit in the community.
Currently, Juan Diaz does not have any recycling system available. Additionally, there is no organized educational system that discusses the enivronment either. The community members dispose of their garbage by burning it.
There is no source of legal assistance in Juan Diaz. Although the majority of the community does not have legal conflicts, the community members are aware of the legal assistance that is in the nearby town of Anton. The majority of the community has land titles for their homes.
The community of Juan Diaz has one governmental offical, Carlos Fernandez, that represents them in a local legislature.
Juan Diaz has one other organization working in the community: a governmental institute of aqueducts and sewage systems (IDAAN).
The community members of Juan Diaz are excited to host their first Medical and Dental brigades in January 2014!