A Bumpy Road to a Better Life: Improving Workers’ Access to Medical Care
“…Before I arrived at Batey La Plaza, something incredible happened. Right before my very eyes, Miguelina, a sugarcane worker and expecting mother, went into labor on a nearby plantation. Without a clinic in town, she had to squeeze into a pickup truck with two men to find the nearest medical care. A cloud of dust erupted behind them as they sped through the bumpy sugarcane field to make it to the next town. Miguelina was grateful for the ride, as there are no ambulances in Batey La Plaza, nor do any residents own a vehicle. By foot, the clinic is two hours away.
Miguelina’s experience was one of many that we heard from workers – difficult access to medical care. Over 200 workers and family members live in Batey La Plaza, all of whom depend on the sugarcane industry for their livelihoods.