Peru’s Tradition of Mutual Help
We first met Rosa Muñoz, the leader of a small community called Santa Cruz, when she approached us with a proposal. Having learned of MEDLIFE’s staircase projects in other urban areas…
Global Topics
My Take on Inequality and Health Care in Peru
In today’s issue of El Comercio, Peru’s main daily newspaper, this headline caught my eye. It reads, “Only 39.6% of the budget allocated to healthcare was used in 2012.”…
Ecuador Vows to Eradicate Malnutrition
Last week the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, announced that the country will eradicate malnutrition within the next four years. The government will focus on pregnant and breastfeeding women, as…
Pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Infections in Peru
Every year, pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections (ARIs) kill 50,000 children under the age of five in Latin America. According to the World Health Organization, at least 15% of the…
Sex Education and STD Transmission in Peru
On a recent mobile clinic in Lima, an interested student asked me what I knew about the state of sex education in Peru. Her interest was piqued by the video…
Urban Health in Peru
As urban populations continue to grow globally, there is an increasing need to focus on urban health. Metropolitan areas generally offer a more prosperous setting with greater health care,…
Focusing On Maternal Health in Ecuador
On the final day of our our recent Mobile Clinic in Riobamba, Ecuador we visited the community of Lirio San Jose, a small village set deep in the rolling hills…
Dental and Oral Hygiene in Peru
Dental care and oral hygiene education are important components of the medical services we provide to our patients on MEDLIFE Mobile Clinics. During a recent Mobile Clinic in Lima, a…
Language and Power in Ecuador
It seemed just like any other workday as we walked into the panadería to pick up our breakfast rolls on our way to the Dirección de Educación. As we entered…
Dealing with Tropical Disease in Panama
During the MEDLIFE Mobile Clinic in Panama this summer, student volunteers were shocked by the large number of patients who came in with ulcers on their skin. The doctor…
What Is a Healthcare Desert?
This week, the Save the Children Federation (SCF) – an international organization that enforces children’s rights in developing countries – released a report on so-called ‘healthcare deserts.’ The term…