Thirty students in DU’s Global Medical Brigade program will travel to Honduras March 18–25 to help operate a mobile medical and dental clinic in the town of Danlí.
A chapter of Global Brigades, the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization, the DU student group was founded in September 2011 by seniors Brett Friedman and Joshua Carlson.
“Brett and I both have a strong desire to go into global health affairs, specifically being on the front lines of bringing medical and surgical care to developing countries that have little or no access to health care,” Carlson says. “We both thought this organization would help to rally students of various academic backgrounds toward a common goal — care and service to the global community.”
Every three to four months, each Global Brigades partner community in Honduras receives a brigade of volunteers who operate a community health clinic. At these open clinics, hundreds of patients receive physician consultations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatment, pap smears, prostate exams and restorative dental care as necessary.
During their time at the clinic, DU volunteers will assist in intake and triage activities, shadow licensed doctors in medical consultations and assist in a pharmacy under the direction of licensed pharmacists. They also will help deliver workshops on preventive health care and practices.
After the student team’s departure, the Global Brigades in-country team will maintain relationships with the communities, provide follow-up and conduct community health worker trainings to empower local leaders to sustain a consistent level of health care.
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America, with an estimated 53 percent of the population living in poverty. In the Global Brigades partner communities, the most common ailments are acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, parasite infections, common cold, hypertension and diabetes.
The group is soliciting donations of medical supplies, medicine and cash. The team has raised an estimated $2,000 worth of cash and donations toward its goal of $6,000. Tax-deductible cash donations may be made through the group’s secure fundraising website. The group can be contacted at dumedbrigades@gmail.com.