Public Health Brigades attack the health problems our medical and dental brigades see in the clinic at their source. Public health brigades build sanitation stations consisting of a sink, shower, and toilet, clean water retention pools, eco-stoves and cement floors of houses. These construction projects greatly reduce the exposure community members have to parasites, bacteria and other environmental factors that cause sickness within communities. Public health brigades typically last for seven days. See the mock itinerary below as well as more detailed breakdowns of the public health projects and their impact.
Public Health Structure Breakdown
Sanitation stations are the heart and soul of public health. These provide houses with sinks, sanitary toilets and showers — accomodies a majority of communities do not have access to. The lack of proper sanitary facilites and habits in rural communites causes the spread of bacteria and other harmful microbes. Sanitation stations provide families with ways to practice proper self-hygiene, sanitarily dispose of waste and wash their hands, clothes and dishes in clean water. Students are responsible for mixing cement and constructing every aspect of the sanitation station. Global Brigades hires masons from in-country to guide our students' effort and critical thinking skills to construct sturdy, long-lasting sturctures.
Cementing floors of houses is another cornerstone of a public health brigade. Many of the diseases and ailments community members contract originate from their living arrangements. Dirt floors allow bacteria and parasites to enchroach on community members' lifestyles and activites. Cementing floors is prioritized because it provides a safer living environment for community members and eliminates the most common ailments our medical brigade sees in the clinic.