Latin America is experiencing a healthcare crisis.  For example, Guatemala has 8 million people in its public healthcare system, and the medical budget  per person amounts to just $32 compared to $3,500 spent per person in the United States.  Morever, these funds are spent in the major cities of Guatemala, leaving the rural areas with little or no access to health care.

HELPS Medical Team Video

HELPS Medical Program History

The Medical Program began in 1988 when an eight member US plastic surgery team traveled to  a small village in the northern highlands of Guatemala to treat the indigenous poor.  Since then, HELPS has dramatically expanded its medical outreach program, which now represents the largest project of all the HELPS programs.

Currently, 65 member highly trained medical/  surgical teams travel to rural areas throughout Guatemala. These teams are composed of general, ob/gyn, plastic and eye surgeons, dentists, pharmacists, operating room and recovery nurses, general practitioner physicians, and anesthesiologists.  Support personnel include engineers, kitchen personnel and translators.

Since 1988, these teams have touched over 250,000 lives.  The following is a breakdown of the medical procedures performed:
     
     Over    8,500 general and plastic surgeries
     Over    1,400 eye surgeries
     Over  117,000 medical examinations
     Over     24,000  dental procedures
     Over     15,000 eye clinic procedures

HELPS believes in providing, to the best of its ability, first rate healthcare to the people of the developing world by working with volunteer chapters in the United States, with main chapters located in Minnesota, Michigan, California, Texas, Oregon, and Guatemala. 

In 1998, the  President of Guatemala  presented HELPS with the "Order of Dr. Rodolfo Robles Award", the highest civilian award given to personnel in the field of medicine.

In 2005, HELPS marked the year when the 100th Medical Team traveled  to Guatemala.  These medical teams have brought over $69 million dollars in medical aid to the country.

HELPS believes that providing excellent surgical/medicall care to the rural areas promotes a positive healthcare attitude among  the general population.  This results in lessening the burden on the major medical centers of the cities of Guatemala.

HELPS believes in assisting local and national governments and health ministries by rallying non-governmental organizations and the US government to help with the current healthcare crisis.

HELPS believes promoting an indigenously based healthcare system, using state-of-the-art telemedicine technology, creates a system available to  the majority of the country.  This local  healthcare system begins with locally trained healthcare promoters, specifically, the indigenous women who visit their neighbors to teach home hygiene, and health education.    The first healthcare training center was developed in the area of Santa Avelina, Guatemala, and involves monitoring  the progress as well.     

The HELPS medical system includes team leaders who recruit medical personnel in keeping with HELPS medical standards; the team leaders acquire the necessary supplies and medications as well.  HELPS maintains detailed lists for each area depending on the type of medical assistance given. 

HELPS handles the airline ticketing for volunteers, and HELPS' Guatamala office handles all activity ranging from  legal and Ministry of Health issues, hospital locations, patient acquisition, airport pickup, transportation, security, and lodging.

Moreover, our medical leaders will be very happy to speak with you directly about our medical philosophy, the procedures and the conditions which you may  encounter on the mission.  Be a part of real change, contact us today. 

If you have an interest in medical missions contact us at 800-41-HELPS (800-414-3577) or by email info@helpsinternational.org. To fill out an application to be a medical volunteer, please click here.