International Volunteers Support Medical Outreaches for Disadvantaged Communities in Ghana, Tanzania, Mexico, and the Philippines
A Public Health intern treats a child at an outreach in Ghana
NEW YORK – June 25, 2014 – Medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities have always been a vital and popular aspect of the Medicine & Healthcare internships offered by international volunteer organization, Projects Abroad. Assisted by qualified local doctors and nurses, medical interns travel to areas where they are desperately needed and help treat patients who usually wouldn’t be able to afford or have access to this kind of treatment.
Medical outreaches are only a part of many of the various Medicine & Healthcare internships we have for interns. For those wanting to specialize in community outreach programs, Projects Abroad introduced Public Health projects where interns can commit full-time to medical outreach work. During their time abroad, they travel to orphanages, schools, slums, churches, villages, and community centers to conduct basic health checks, eye tests, vaccinations, and educational talks, as well as treat minor wounds and skin ailments.
“It’s great to see that so many of our medical interns want to contribute to outreach work full-time and help communities impacted by poverty as much as they can,” says Thomas Pastorius, Jr., Vice President of Projects Abroad. “The treatment that adults and children get at these outreaches is often the only medical attention they can get, so our interns have a crucial role to play.”
Our Public Health projects are available for a range of skill levels, from teenage volunteers with an interest in medicine, to students pursuing a medical degree, or professionals looking to use their experience to make a difference abroad.
In Kumasi, Ghana, interns and local staff work toward providing medical treatment for children and adults every day. You will take part in general health testing (blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and body mass index), screening for worms, malaria testing and treatment, teaching communities about hygiene and first-aid, and more.
Public Health in the Philippines
For many people in the Philippines, getting the medical treatment they need is a struggle. Public Health interns work in the city of Bogo, which was greatly affected by Typhoon Haiyan last year, and also in other northern parts of Cebu Island. We work mostly in barangays (villages), where we provide vaccinations and run medical campaigns for HIV/AIDS and tropical diseases. Interns also have the opportunity to volunteer at the City Health Office, where you can help with consultations and check-ups, blood testing, and even delivering babies.
Alternative Spring Break Trips: Public Health in Ghana or Mexico
Students looking for a meaningful way to travel on their spring break can volunteer in Kumasi, Ghana, or Guadalajara, Mexico. You will work in schools, orphanages, community groups, and slums, getting involved in immunization drives, conducting basic health checks, and leading educational campaigns.
High School Special: Public Health in Tanzania
Based in the town of Arusha and surrounding communities, volunteers work in outreach clinics under the guidance of medical professionals to help as many people as possible. You could even find yourself working with rural Maasai tribes! Our High School Special programs are safe, structured, and worthwhile projects designed specifically for teenagers and first-time travelers.
Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.
Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 29 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States.
For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad’s web site at www.projects-abroad.org.
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