Our friends at La Riojana cooperative in Argentina shared some great news. Construction is underway on the health center they’re building using the fair trade premiums from sales of Riojana wine. The health center is a non-profit project that will be free for patients. Check out the photo gallery below. Here’s some of what they shared:
Our Health Centre Begins To Take Shape
During the months of March and April, despite the heat of the Argentine sun, we have seen great advances made with the new health centre.
The great news is that the foundations are now fully completed and both the column and brick work are very nearly finished. Other advances include the installation of beams, concrete slab and damp proofing, all of which are now over half way to completion and work has also started on installing the electrics.
The Design
The health centre has been split into three sections and has been designed to have a second floor above a section of the building.
The first section has been designed primarily for maternity care and will include an operating theatre, delivery room, maternity ward and nursery, as well as an emergency treatment room with ambulance access.
The second section includes the main public entrance and will have a reception / waiting area, a small café, kitchen and laundry room, as well as a teleconference and data room. Above this, there will be a second floor with enough room for a couple of offices and a filing room, easily accessible by a flight of stairs.
The third section will include five outpatient consulting rooms, each dedicated to specialist medicine, including gynaecology; paediatrics; dentistry; ear, nose and throat; as well as general medical consultations. This section will also include a laboratory, x-ray room and bathrooms.
The Architect
Decler Fernandez is the architect of the health centre. He has worked on other projects funded by fair trade premiums. He shared the following.
We have designed the new building so that it will provide primary medical care for Mothers and Children, as well as general medical services. We have also included an area for clinical research with an analysis laboratory for endemic diseases.
I would say the main advantage of our design is very good lighting and ventilation, with orientation towards the North. Another advantage is the location of the ambulance parking area, which we have connected directly to the First Aid room, making it easier to receive and transfer patients.
And looking towards the future, we have designed the building in such a way that will allow for further extension if required.
We’re excited to be partners with La Riojana. Together, we can help create positive change!