Portraits of Bocas del Toro, Panama

Panama is often associated with the Panama Canal and as a tax haven for the uber-wealthy. In rural Panama, however, many remote island communities are disconnected from the main grid and exist without access to electricity, running water, or reliable healthcare, among other resources. For many patients, travel to a healthcare facility is nearly impossible due to time constraints, the expense of travel, and the difficulty of navigating the healthcare system.

Over 80% of the world’s population lives within 5 miles of a coast, but far too many communities still lie in remote poverty without access to basic health care. Geographic isolation, rugged terrain, political factors, social disenfranchisement, insufficient health knowledge, poverty and lack of infrastructure separate these communities from care.

We documented the on-the-ground healthcare situation in the Bocas del Toro region of Panama, traveling to remote communities with a team of healthcare professionals from the nonprofit organizations Floating Doctors and the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI).