In the Darién, simple problems can have lethal consequences

An expedition through extreme and isolated areas poses higher risk of illness or injuries. A desert trek may result in dehydration-induced headaches and cases of sunburn or blisters. In high altitude mountains, one may experience sore backs, twisted ankles, and possible vomiting. In the Darién Gap, a dense and humid jungle bordering between Colombia and Panama, one faces all of these hurdles. Those who hike Everest or join an off-road desert race are well-equipped and typically do a lot of planning, thinking of a rescue or an exit plan if help cannot come. This is not the case for the half a million immigrants who engage in the crossing of this sometimes deadly jungle in the hopes of making it to the United States.

With its high humidity and persistent dampness, the jungle is a difficult environment to survive in. The Darién poses an even greater risk due to the extreme terrain – steep climbs, deep rivers, and torrential rain. As an ex-soldier who has been working as a security person and paramedic for dangerous journalistic excursions for 21 years, if someone contacted me to take them on a holiday trek into the Darién, I would say to them: “Absolutely not!” However, this past April I decided to cross the Darién for a second time, this one with a much smaller group: a journalist, a photographer, and a filmmaker commissioned by Boom.

Throughout my time in the Darién, every medical issue that required management was relatively easy to solve – if it wasn’t in the jungle.

Once you enter the Darién, there is simply no room for a mistake. If you slip on a step outside your house, it is relatively easy to return home or even summon help. In the Darién, there is no home to go to and you can't reach anyone.

An unexpected incident deep into our trek happened to a teammate who I never expected would fall ill. A dark-skinned man in his early 50s, Pedro is tall and built sturdy. He is one of the men we hired to carry our heavy gear. It all started in the morning when he complained about a stomach ache. A couple of hours later, he stumbled to his knees, unable to take another step, and I feared he was having a cardiac arrest.

Pedro is a man with knowledge of the terrain. This environment is nothing new to him. Through my initial steps of checking his vitals I found he had a fever, extremely low blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. These are three different systems in the body that are being compromised. “Has he urinated at all today? What color was it? How much water has he had this morning? Does he have a family history of heart disease? Blood diseases? Diabetes?” In the jungle, you’re limited in all aspects, such as the lack of information of pre-existing conditions, which are all obstacles that only increase the risks of death.

With his vitals the way they were, I don’t know how he was functioning. How did he manage to not slip down the steep rocks and into the river rapids? How did he not twist an ankle? And a man with his body built is a big concern. Had I been unable to stabilize him, how the hell would we have carried him out of the jungle?

Every day, hundreds of migrants set off on an expedition that requires them to be good hikers, strong swimmers, good navigators, and jungle experts. It is highly unlikely that they have these skills, and as a result, they struggle in this callous terrain. The most prevalent conditions are skin-related: blisters from poor shoes, rashes from wet clothing persistently rubbing.

Simple problems can have lethal consequences. The most serious difficulties involve one's ability to walk. A twisted ankle is at the very least going to slow you down and cause you to spend more time in the jungle. A broken ankle is almost certainly going to result in death.

In the jungle, we came across two bodies, both males. Though impossible to know the cause of deaths, both looked to be different and both were at different stages of decomposing. One man, who looked no older than 33, was lying inside his tent and seemed to have passed away peacefully. The other was by the river, wrapped in a plastic bag, face down with a cut on his head. Were pre-existing conditions a factor in their demise, or was it injury from a fall? Was it something that could have been treated easily in the outside world?

The reality is that all of these are reasons why some people never make it out of this jungle alive.

Out of all the most uncomplicated but debilitating conditions was “trench foot”. The migrants were completely unaware that they needed to remove their wet shoes at night. Afraid that they may have to run from unexpected danger, they kept them on throughout the trek. This resulted in a very quick progression of the condition which starts with blisters that can quickly turn into an infection and eventually to the point where they could potentially experience complications that may require amputation. Every problem during the crossing delayed them, imposing greater risks and difficulties.

Every day, a person needs around 4 to 6 liters of water to stay hydrated in the jungle, and the migrants never had more than 1 or 2 liters of water. This resulted in them drinking from the polluted river, thereby causing gastrointestinal problems and worsening their dehydration. The same story applies to stamina: the longer they stayed in the jungle, the more food and energy they required. Tired migrants would often slip and fall because they didn’t have the energy to stay focused on the trail. Many of these families also come with their children, mothers even with newborns. All of this weighs on the adult who, after days of walking, have exhausted their bodies and their minds.

The knowledge that most migrants enter the Darién with is astonishingly limited— if that. Many are fed misinformation which leads them to come extremely ill prepared for an already dangerous journey. Leaving their homes in search of a better place led them here, and their vulnerability grows more and more with each passing day.

Hundreds of thousands of people are migrating in search of better living conditions and opportunities, while innocently succumbing to the suffering that could be mitigated. While people continue making this treacherous journey, more are in danger of losing their lives, yet no actions are being taken to stop this. If medical help and local knowledge was shared with those migrating, we could easily avoid the desperation experienced daily in the jungle. Many more lives could be saved.