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Health Projects
From rural Andean communities that rarely see a doctor, clinics in impoverished areas of Oaxaca, public health campaigns in Belize, HIV and AIDS outreach in Thailand, and eldercare in India, ProWorld has opportunities for volunteers in our health projects throughout the year. Below are some of your project options.
Join ProWorld Health projects through Semester Abroad, Intern Abroad, & Group Programs.
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Join ProWorld Health projects through Semester Abroad, Intern Abroad, & Group Programs.
Peru
Cleaner Burning Stove Project
Since 2003, ProWorld Peru has implemented the Cleaner Burning Stoves Project. Volunteers will work in rural communities in the Sacred Valley constructing and installing stoves in the homes of local Peruvians. The goal of these stoves is to reduce the amount of firewood used by the family and to decrease the amount of smoke inhaled by family members in the home while cooking. Interns will work with families to install stoves in homes, developing educational materials to illustrate how our stoves improve health and save natural resources, administer short health surveys to measure lung capacity and current health problems, conduct follow up visits to communities where ProWorld Peru has installed stoves.
Water Filters Installation Project
Volunteers will have the chance to participate in all aspects of our newest public health project, building and installing ceramic water filters with local families in the Sacred Valley. Every year there are 1.7 million deaths, mainly children under the age of five, due to diarrhea caused by unsafe water. The main goal of the ceramic water filters, when used correctly, is to disinfect dirty and/or bacterial contaminated water, and make it safe for human consumption. Interns will build the filters, develop campaigns to promote their use, install them in community homes, educate families on use, and conduct public health workshops on clean drinking water, safe water storage, and hygiene.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Both the Cleaner Burning Stoves project and the Water Filters projects are part of our Public Health and Construction Initiatives, and therefore are combined into a cohesive volunteership at this time. Volunteers will spend half of the week working on the stoves project, spending a great deal of time out in the field installing stoves and leading follow up education campaigns. Because this work can be very tiring to do every day, the other half of the week will be spent on the filters project, where the majority of the work takes place at the ProWorld Peru office.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Both the Cleaner Burning Stoves project and the Water Filters projects are part of our Public Health and Construction Initiatives, and therefore are combined into a cohesive volunteership at this time. Volunteers will spend half of the week working on the stoves project, spending a great deal of time out in the field installing stoves and leading follow up education campaigns. Because this work can be very tiring to do every day, the other half of the week will be spent on the filters project, where the majority of the work takes place at the ProWorld Peru office.
Clinical Health Project
The clinical health project provides volunteers with a basic understanding of the health care system in Peru. Volunteers will observe procedures and directly assist medical personnel in the various departments of a local health center. Work includes interacting with Spanish and Quechua speaking patients, learning about common health issues, understanding multiple departments in local clinics. Volunteers are recommended, but not required, to have some basic medical experience in conjunction with conversational Spanish skills.
Public Health Project
Public Health Project
ProWorld Peru’s public health project offers a multidimensional approach to health and wellness intervention in rural communities. Volunteers will participate in a myriad of activities and educational workshops aimed at topics including: oral health, parasite testing, women’s health, nutrition, traditional medicine, youth development, monitoring of the family greenhouse project completed in the summer of 2010. It is strongly encouraged, but not required to have a good conversational Spanish level.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Interested volunteers can also combine this project with a clinical health placement.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Interested volunteers can also combine this project with a clinical health placement.
Help care for those who cannot care for themselves. At Octavia Waight Center, you have the opportunity to participate in nursing, physiotherapy, geriatric care, and general health care.
You will focus on establishing emotional relationships with patients who would otherwise have few or no visitors. Volunteers also have the opportunity to design and implement various programs to meet other needs of patients.
BFLA (Belize Family Life Association)
In addition to this, Nurse Dolly Witts works with the public health sector of the San Ignacio hospital. She participates in counseling and education along with the other nurses at the hospital.
Public Health Campaigns
Develop and Assist with ongoing research projects that seek to further understand the specific health care needs of communities within the Cayo District of Belize. You will work with ProBelize staff and health care professionals, local organizations, and community leaders in an effort to conduct scientifically sound and relevant research.
Research projects seek to determine the prevalence of specific diseases, to elucidate risk factors for such cases, and to pinpoint possible areas for appropriate and effective intervention. Results from such research will be used to formulate and guide health education initiatives, as well as be prepared for publication in public health journals.
CARE Belize
CARE Belize was founded due to a need to give therapy to children with disabilities under the age of 18. Disabled children do not usually receive the physical therapy and social attention needed to help them rise above their disabilities. These children have a need to be taken out of their homes and be allowed to grow and participate in the community at large.
You will help in taking the children outside for activities, providing physical therapy and exercise, and activities such as singing, drawing, playing, etc. This project will be coupled with another project because CARE does not operate every day.
La Loma Luz Hospital
Gain clinical experience at one of the local hospitals in Santa Elena. La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital is a charitable, non-profit healthcare facility with a mission to provide quality health care to even the poorest of Belize’s citizens. A volunteer’s previous medical experience will dictate their specific responsibilities.
San Ignacio or Belmopan Public Hospitals
Gain clinical experience working at a public hospital in San Ignacio or in the capital city of Belmopan. These government run facilities provide free healthcare to all Belizean citizens. A volunteer’s previous medical experience will dictate their specific responsibilities.
Malaria Prevention & Health Education
Help conduct malaria research in areas once affected by malaria. Collect water samples and study mosquito breeding grounds to better understand the spread of malaria in villages. Interview villagers to see the impact malaria has had. Help dispense prevention information and educate villagers on how to clear their houses of mosquito breeding grounds.
Clinica del Pueblo
Contribute to the Clinica del Pueblo’s efforts to provide health care to the poorest community members of Oaxaca. The clinic provides basic health services and several outpatient surgeries. Volunteers will contribute to the clinic’s efforts in a variety of ways, including taking vitals, treating injuries, shadowing nurses and doctors, sitting in on surgeries and cleaning and preparing instruments. Volunteers may also perform other duties as needed such as document translation and categorization of donated medications.
Secretaria de Salubridad y Asistencia (SSA Clínicas)
Participants will work in the smaller clinics alongside nurses and doctors.
Casa Hogar para Ancianos
The Casa Hogar’s objectives are to offer quality physical, mental and social services to the elderly that have been either abandoned or do not have the resources to support themselves. The home guarantees security to its inhabitants while working to secure for them the highest level of autonomy and auto sufficiency and the opportunity to a healthy environment where they can live with dignity.
They like volunteers who are good with people and willing to interact with the community.
CORAL (Centro Oaxaqueño de Rehabilitación de Audición y Lenguaje)
CORAL offers hearing-impaired children and adults the gift of a brighter future by providing a full range of low-cost hearing rehabilitative services and programs for those Oaxaqueños that generally cannot afford them.
Volunteers will work with the director and teachers at CORAL to facilitate education, help with fundraising, and work with the children.
India
Health Projects at ProIndia are broken down into Clinical and Public Health experiences. ProIndia partners with local NGOs to place interns at area hospitals to learn about the Indian healthcare system and have the opportunity to interact with both patients and healthcare professionals.
This project aims to provide medication, education and primary healthcare to people living in the rural areas of Rajasthan. Small medical camps are regularly organized where the people can get free check-ups, consultations and medication. Through educational workshops people are made aware of general health, hygiene, nutrition, HIV/AIDS and STI/RTI diseases. Special clinics focusing on the health of women are also organized for women to help treat and educate about gynecological problems, care during pregnancy, reproductive child health issues and pre/post natal nutrition. During this project you will assist doctors and paramedics depending on your abilities. Those with experience in the healthcare field or those currently studying a related field are preferred.
Maternity Education Program
This maternal health program works in rural communities with the aim of reducing infant mortality rates as well as the high number of deaths within women following complications from childbirth. The project centers on educating traditional birth attendants within communities and developing their skills to ensure a safe birthing experience for rural women. It also raises the importance of maternal health within the community. With high infant and maternal death rates during pregnancy, combined with the lack of facilities, the need to educate communities and improve knowledge and skills of birthing attendants is vital to help minimize problems at birth. You will need to have a background in a health related practice, preferably relating to maternal health.
Public Health and Nutrition Research
This program carries out ongoing health and nutritional research for the local government of Rajasthan and has conducted some cutting edge studies to those who need help. Recently these studies have included rural research in child immunization. Other research projects address anemia and the positive health effects and feasibility of enhancing dietary intake through village-level iron-fortification of flour. Depending on experience, your role will be to assist with on-going research related to your skills. Depending on your time on site, you maybe be given scope to identify and begin new research. Interns will need some past experience in research and general education in a health related field.
Work in Regional Preventative Healthcare Camps
This project aims to address health issues with a focus on long-term health. The major emphasis of the program is on “preventive health”, but also includes involvement in a polio camp, heath check-up camps for women and provision of nutritional food for students in the child labor schools and crèches. Interactive awareness meetings are organized in different project villages on the issue of reviving a traditional health care system. Interns will be involved in the direct hands-on medical activities of testing blood, giving immunizations, medication, and providing educational workshops in the areas described above. A background in a health related field or present study is required.
Thailand
Various health issues exist in northern Thailand, but none seems to be more pressing than the prevention and continuing education of HIV/AIDS. Additional health issues mirror those already existing in industrialized countries as well, such as overall poor health care and lack of access to sufficient medications and resources for youth, adults, and the elderly.
ProThailand Health Interns may help directly and indirectly to combat these global health issues by joining a local or national NGO in their administration and field work efforts.
Health projects in Chiang Mai, Thailand include:
FOUNDATION FOR OLDER PERSON'S DEVELOPMENT (FOPDEV)
Description of the project:
FOPDEV seeks to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged older persons throughout Thailand by working with and for older persons nationwide to address their physical, psychological, social, educational, and economic needs. FOPDEV concentrates their efforts on sustainable community-based care programs. They have four primary programs: Support a Grandparent Program (SGP), Home Care Service Program, Advocacy, and HIV/AIDS program.
SGP: This program serves older people all over Northern Thailand and provides both a higher quality of benefits & beneficiaries by using a portion of donations as capital for income generation projects for communities.
Home Care Service Program: This project encourages independent living for disadvantaged older persons and lightens the burden on family caregivers by training volunteer home-helpers to provide services.
Advocacy: This works to increase the recognition of older persons and their needs in national policy and legislation.
Role of the Intern:
Interns will work with health education community development outreach and issues related to older peoples development.
Programs involve homecare service program, advocacy, HIV/AIDS. Interns can also expect to partake in the following:
• Field Work
• Office Work
• Home Care Visits by experienced people
• Fundraising efforts
• Research based projects
Skills Required:
Participants should have an interest in working with the issues at hand and able to commit the time frame required of at least one month. Writing and health skills/knowledge are also important for a successful placement.
CHIANG MAI PROVINCIAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICE (CPPHO)
Description of the project:
CPPHO has a broad profile of work related to health issues. The organization has a dental health section, AIDs and STB prevention and control section, disease prevention section, and a healthcare service section. They also work in partnership with Chiang Mai University Research Institute of Health Sciences, NGOs, and government hospitals in every district in Chiang Mai Province
Role of the Intern:
- Interns will be able to observe the work of NGOs, Health Institutes, hospitals, Academic Institute
- Do the work assigned by the person in charge of their area
- Must be flexible and able to travel to the rural area
- All interns will be placed according to their needs and experience based upon their CV.
Skills Required:
Any volunteer who would like to learn more about health care in Thailand are welcome to apply.
NONG HAN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CLINIC
Description of the project:
The Nong Han Primary Health Care Clinic provides primary care to the local community. This involves disease prevention, education efforts, outreach, disease control and testing, a small outpatient clinic and other initiatives to reduce the level of disease and sickness in the community. Past volunteers have been involved with testing blood pressure, educating the community about disease risk factors and way to stop the spread of disease, home visits for eldery people to identify and reduce risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and other problems. Outreach and hands on work to prevent the spread of Dengue fever and a number of similar projects.
Role of the Intern:
Interns would work side by side with the staff mainly in an observation role, to learn about the Thai health system and participate when possible with hands on testing, education and prevention work.
Skills Required:
Pre-med or medical student with knowledge of health issues and basic health education.
FOUNDATION TO ENCOURAGE THE POTENTIAL OF DISABLED PEOPLE
Description of the project:
The Foundation’s many projects include the Chiang Mai Disabled Center; the Freedom Wheelchair Workshop; a rural and remote area free home visit program covering 6 Provinces of north Thailand (providing wheelchair maintenance and physical therapy); and an extensive Thai language self-help publishing program.
Role of the Intern:
-Assist with home visits to rural communities
- ESL classes for the foundations staff.
Skills Required:
Depending on the skills of the intern, you can be assigned to different projects. Below are some different skills that we are looking for to assist with various projects
- Participants with craftsman’s skills and handiwork experience in metal fabrication, mobility design or welding are needed to conduct small manual projects and construct wheelchairs.
- Participants with occupational therapy and physical therapy skills
- ESL teaching experience
Malaria, tuberculosis, HIV?AIDS, malnutrition, diarrhea in young children, and poor sanitation are some of Ghana's leading health issues. Recent government efforts have focused on Community Based Health Planning and Services, a new strategy to bring health closer to communities and those most in need. Small community clinics and door to door outreach efforts now supplement the work of larger clinics and hospitals.
ProGhana health interns work in clinics and hospitals, take part in community outreach programs and collaborate with Ghana Health Services and local NGOs to promote health education and awareness, providing individuals and communities with the tools to prevent illnesses, access needed healthcare, and lead healthy lives.
HEALTH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT
Bring much-needed health awareness and knowledge to communities who suffer poverty and ill health as a result of a lack of education. Leading public health issues include malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and poor sanitary conditions. Interns can work on education and advocacy, awareness of prevention and sanitation, compiling data, conducting surveys, evaluating the impact of health initiatives, providing counseling, helping victims and their families with care, and organizing income-generating activities.
CLINICAL HEALTH OUTREACH
Community outreach programs in Cape Coast of only have a handful of staff and a few volunteers to treat and educate the entire community on the reality of preventable diseases. Your role will be to assist in outreach in communities, schools, and churches as well as doing door-to-door outreach when possible. You will provide staff assistance, give workshops, have discussions, and help to answer questions set forth by community members. There is the opportunity to take part in medical missions, basic first-aid training and treatment, health screening, pre-natal and post-natal care and even possibly building sanitary bathrooms. Interns must be studying or have finished a course relating to health or medicine.
CLINICAL MEDICAL PLACEMENT
This project is based in hospitals and clinics in and surrounding Cape Coast. You will support doctors, nurses, and staff as they care for low-income patients and manage the day-to-day operations of the clinic. The level of work and the areas interns are allowed access to in clinical placements will greatly depend on how much knowledge and experience interns already possess, everyone will also be expected to carry out some administrative work. To take part in this placement volunteers must have previous medical experience.
Brazil
In terms of health status indicators, Brazil has a typical profile of a middle income country, meaning that it suffers from the high infant mortality rate and low life expectancy. Only 82% of the people in Bahia have access to sustainable sanitation and clean water. In addition, people also suffer from the diseases of higher income countries such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Since 1998, the country's constitution has guaranteed all Brazilian citizens the right to health care with a national health care system. Primary care is being improved significantly through Brazil's arrangement to have services administered by local municipalities. However, implementation varies and some clinics in Bahia have large service areas and are left without resources to provide even basic preventative and primary care.
The guarantee of primary care also does not include access to dental services, and in the poor areas of the state, people of all ages are missing multiple teeth and suffer from chronic oral health issues.
Brazil was the first country in the world to successfully break international patents on HIV/AIDS medication in order to provide comprehensive treatment to those living with HIV/AIDS. There is a strong HIV/AIDS movement within Salvador which helped Brazil win this political war.
ProBrazil has partnered with other NGOs to provide intern opportunities in health including clinical oral and public health in urban and rural clinics, as well as with community organizations who serve areas where the clinics are uninvolved in the health promotion of the community. ProBrazil also has partnered with organizations implementing green, self-sustainaing sanitation solutions on the island of Itaparica.
Our most recent and current health project:
Providing Healthcare to Cancer Patients
This project helps to provide healthcare to children in Brazil who suffer from Cancer. In 1988 a group of doctors, friends and parents of children with cancer got together and founded Grupo de Apoio à Criança com Câncer (GACC). GACC ‐ a philanthropic entity – was formed to give support to children in Brazil whowere suffering from cancer. This group found that up to 70% of patients were abandoning their cancer treatment due to social‐economic reasons, so they founded GACC in order to help with the continuationof the patients treatment.
Why the project needs you:
There is room for up to 104 children to stay at GACC with ages ranging from 0‐19 years old. With this many children housed at GACC, they are always needing and looking for extra help in all areas to ensure that they can continue to operate and help with the treatment of the patients.
Role of the Intern:
Interns are needed to help with occupational therapy, psychological sessions and therapy, create and organize drama classes, music activities, games etc., help teach school classes, work in the library, help with organization of finances and sales, as well as teach and help others how to create handicrafts and sell them.
Skills Required:
Some English is spoken here, however interns who work on this project should have a basic level of Portuguese or Spanish. Placements in Occupational Therapy and Psychology should have a basic knowledge of Portuguese as they will then be able to better to communicate with the children they are working with. Interns must be enthusiastic, patient, caring and good‐humored to work with the children.
When you're ready, apply at www.myproworld.org/apply.
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"I really think that all prospective doctors should have an experience like this so they can appreciate all the good things about the American health care system and to have a cross cultural comparison." - Katie
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