Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the APPNA Medical Corps Mission to Coban, Guatemala!
APPNA Medical Corps has had the honor and privilege to provide basic healthcare and preventative measures to school-aged children and adults at School Esperanza since 2016. The Mission to Guatemala lasts one week, including travel, and occurs 1-2 times per year.
Physicians comfortable doing Primary Care including but not limited to Pediatricians, Family Medicine, and Internal Medicine are encouraged to volunteer. Pre-Med/Medical Students, Residents and PA/NP are also considered for the missions. Depending on availability of space, physicians can bring their high school or undergrad college children on the trip. Due to limited slots, we only allow one child per parent. Childcare is not provided, and it is the responsibility of the parent to care for their children.
The first step to help with future missions is to complete the Online Volunteer Form. Once you complete the Online Volunteer Form, you will receive an email requesting more information about you in the form of your CV/ resume and a short statement describing your interest in the mission. You will also need to complete the APPNA Liability Release Form. and proof of COVID19 Vaccination. To confirm your commitment to the Guatemala Mission, proof of air fare purchase to Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport is required 6 weeks prior to the mission start date. It is your responsibility as a volunteer to pay for air fare, lodging, and food expenses for the mission.
Once the required information is received by Jane Winning (winningrotary@gmail.com), RN Mission Lead, the main contact in preparing you for the mission. She will provide details including hotel information, travel, estimated cost of the mission, and essentials to pack.
The typical mission itinerary is as follows:
Saturday: Volunteers arrive in Guatemala City and check into the Grand Tikal Hotel.
Sunday: Volunteers convene in the morning and take a chartered van to Coban. Travel is approximately 5 ½ hours.
Monday: Clinic day at School Esperanza.
Tuesday: Clinic day at School Esperanza.
Wednesday: Clinic day at School Esperanza.
Thursday: Volunteers convene in the morning and take a charted van back to Guatemala City.
Friday: Volunteers are encouraged to participate in a tour to Antigua.
Saturday: Volunteers fly home.
Volunteers can extend their trip and travel once clinic days have ended and all have returned to Guatemala City.
A snapshot of past missions from Jane Winning, RN, Guatemala Mission Lead:
January 2020:Arrived in Guatemala City on 18th. Drove 6 hrs on 19th and started our first of 3 clinics on Monday the 20th. We saw 280 kids and adults with a variety of complaints and health issues ranging from headaches, abdominal pain from gastritis, UTI, and made several referrals for follow up for US, more in-depth eye exams, possible surgical intervention for significant hernia, Thyroid node, one child for cardiac assessment. Vitamins most in demand along with allergy related issues, cough and cold symptoms. Great team and team work. I appreciate each and everyone for making a difference in the lives of those that have so little.
2019:The team was made up of two Internal Medicine Physicians one from Chicago, one from Pennsylvania, one Pediatrician from Chicago, 7 volunteers, plus an Optometrist who joins us in Coban where she lives. Our trip begins by everyone arriving in Guatemala City on Saturday July 27, 2019. On Sunday we rode 6 hours by chartered van to Coban. On Monday we started our first clinic day. Everyone has a job and the first day moves a little slower because everyone is getting use to the flow and how things work. Every person gets weighed, B/P if appropriate, eye exam, and exam by physician. Medications are provided as needed, but most everyone gets vitamins as the diet of the community is very limited to corn and broths flavored with chili peppers. Over the three days we saw 416 children and adults. We sent a couple to hospital for further testing, provided reading glasses and sunglasses, and reassured parents that their children were healthy. The kids in the school are provided two meals a day so that helps their overall health and nutrition. Because everyone cooks over open wood stoves, there are a lot of complaints of burning eyes, headaches, stuffy noses, and then stomach pain after eating due primarily to using peppers in their food. After the clinics are finished M-W, we return on Thursday to Guatemala City. On Friday we spent the day in Antigua. Gives the team a chance to unwind and see a bit of Guatemala before flying home on Saturday. The team worked very well with each other and everyone made new friends and learned new skills.
2018: This mission is supported by the Rotary Club. The following APPNA physicians made up the team: Family Practice Doc from Chicago, Dr. Hassnain Syed. Internal Medicine/Pediatrician from Florida Dr. Minal Ahson, Pediatrician from Fresno Dr Razia Sheikh, Akbar Sheikh Pre-med student. The school now has between 450-500 kids from age of 5-18. We also see some kids that are called “dump kids” as they live around the dump located approximately a 1/4 mile away. They have a preschool there where the kids can go while their parents or grandparents pilfer through the dump looking for food or things they can salvage to sell or use in their living quarters whatever they might be. The school was built by Spain and it is really an awesome school, well maintained and provides the kids with two meals a day, some uniforms and a pays the salary of the teachers, principal and the nurse at the clinic. Although they have not been paid for the last two months as at times (like now) the money as yet to arrive.
It was a very successful mission where we saw and treated if needed 431 patients that would not have the benefit of being seen by a physician if it weren’t for this team. We provided free medications as needed for treatment and also Vitamins to girls and women between the age of 12-45 thanks to a grant from Vitamin Angels.
I can’t say enough or find the right words to say about the dedication and work that this team of individuals supplied and made a difference in the 431 kids and adults that they saw and the support that the teachers and student translators provided. Without all of them this would not be possible or successful. It is because of people like this team that gives me the reason to continue to provide what we can in an area where the need is so great. To us in the US it is totally hard to believe these individuals live on less than $25 a month.
A Teacher from School Esperanza:“They are angels who come from far away to bring health and hope for all of those who need it. Our gratitude to the California Rotary Clubs from Madera, and the group of Physicians from Pakistan and the Philippines; Jane Winning, Dr. Wasique Mirza, Dr. Mohammad Rafique, Dr Maria Christine Bayang, Volunteers: Sergio Moreno, Michael Moreno, Havique Mirza, Ravique Mirza, Daanyl Saeed, Asnia Rafiq, Justin Castonguay and our Guatemalan volunteers Juanita Cao, Optometrist, and Claudia Caceres Kress. God bless all of you and return good to your country.”
