Medical Volunteers: Bringing Health Care to Those in Need

With support from AmeriCares Medical Outreach Program, people in need around the world receive free medical care from US health care professionals traveling overseas to volunteer their services.

AmeriCares Medical Outreach Program enables hundreds of qualified US-based health care professionals to volunteer their services in over 70 countries each year. The charitable efforts of these medical volunteers help bring quality health care to many of the world’s under-served populations who might otherwise go without medical attention.

In 2007 alone, AmeriCares Medical Outreach Program donated over $21 million worth of medicines and supplies to support nearly 850 trips made by medical volunteers who provided everything from primary care to complex surgeries.

One project AmeriCares supports is The Baja Project for Crippled Children, which provides free corrective surgery and treatment for clubfoot and other disabling podiatric conditions in Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. Clubfoot is a common disability found in many developing countries, occurring in one out of every 1,000 births.

Since 2004, AmeriCares has donated over $50,000 worth of anesthesia, medicines and supplies crucial to The Baja Project’s work. Dr. Marc Benard, a podiatric surgeon from Torrance, California, and one of the co-directors of the project, recently visited AmeriCares to share his experience. “The generous donations from individuals and organizations like AmeriCares make our work possible,” explained Dr. Benard.

With support from AmeriCares Medical Outreach Program, The Baja Project offers children a chance to enjoy their childhood and live normal, productive lives.