Mission to Panama

Sponsor	Virginia McCarthy	Contact	Virginia McCarthy e: vmccarthy@lumc.edu p: 708-216-6318
Location	Kuna Yala, Panama
Mission	We'll be partnering with Global Brigades, an international, non-profit, health and sustainable development organization near Kuna Yala, Panama. We'll be setting up a mobile clinic where in one of the communities during the days in which we provide medical and dental consultations and treatments, and a few days to experience some different projects through our Environmental and Public Health programs. The latter usually included pilas (a water storage unit), latrines, eco-stoves, and concrete floors for houses in Honduras, so the projects in our communities in Panama are probably similar. As far as our methods of operation, our medical services are free and we have a referral system for patients who need continued care, a medical records system (OpenMRS)for data collection and patient continuity, and we also train community health workers through our Guardianes de Salud program. These volunteers are community members who live in the villages we serve that we train and equip withresources they'll need to provide basic care and record keeping. As for the Public Health projects, the money comes from both a community investment fund through student donation and the buy-in and partnership of the community members themselves.
Duration and Time	Irregular  1 week
Estimated Cost	$1500-$1800
Field of Practice	Pediatrics
Restrictions	Open to all students, regardless of year of study.