Peru
The Place
Pampas Grande, Peru - the capital of a cluster of 10 small towns in the Andes.
Department of Ancash, Province of Huaraz, Western Slope of the Cordilleras Negras
Mountain Range, Northeast of Lima
12,000 feet elevation - acclimatizing can be difficult. Mild altitude effects are common.
Winter in Lima but summer in Pampas – sunny and warm though nights are cold.
Clinic Building (“Postal”) has 4 exam rooms, small pharmacy, and dental suite.
Accommodations are comfortable - 1 large room with 10+ beds, 1 small room with 4+ beds. 3
bathrooms with showers. Many can get warm/hot water.
The 2015 Team and Trip
Trip dates are tentatively scheduled for June 28th - July 11th, 2015
Fly into and out of Lima, Peru. Long bus ride: 8-10 hours from Lima to Huaraz on day 1 then 6
hours from Huaraz to Pampas Grande on day 3.
From US: we hope to have 1-2 VCU Med attendings, 1 Women’s Health NP, 1-2 Med residents,
2 PharmDs, 1 VCU Public Health student, 1 Lawyer, 1 Law student, U of Richmond
undergrads, and representatives from VCU Physical Therapy, Nursing, and Dentistry.
From Lima: 1-2 dentists, 2-3 physicians, 2 Med students, and others.
We anticipate having 5 VCU M1 Med students and 1 VCU Pharm student
Following our time working, for those interested there will be the opportunity to travel to
Cusco/Machu Picchu.
The Work
Our first few days we will tour several Peruvian health facilities to see how the health care
system works and hear about its strengths and the challenges it faces.
Seeing patients in clinic - we will see 150-200 patients in Postal clinic. We will also travel to
surrounding towns, where we will see an additional 100-200 patients.
Health projects – women’s health, joint pain, skin protection, anemia, nutrition, emergency
response, safety, and parasitic infections.
Public health - building greenhouses and testing water quality.
Dancing, speeches, soccer - the community truly embraces our team and has multiple special
events during our time there.
The Cost
The brigade fee will be $1,000.
This brigade fee covers the following: 1. All in-country transportation, 2. All in-country
lodging, 3. Most in-country meals, 4. Medication and medical supply costs.
Additional costs for you include:
1. Your plane ticket (Dean’s Office will refund ~$350-400 to help defray this cost)
2. At least $100 for snacks, souvenirs, tipping our food/cook staff, donations
3. Travel Insurance – usually ~$70
Optional week long trip to Cusco/Machu Picchu following Brigade will cost ~$1,000.
Total expected costs of the basic 2 week trip: $1,300 – 1,500
Additional Information can be found at www.richmondglobalhealthalliance.org
Contacts: Sean McKenna, MD (smckenna@mcvh-vcu.edu) / Emily Peron, PharmD (epperon@vcu.edu)