Link for Health

Health for Humanity is a Canadian-based volunteer organization that provides quality medical care, equipment and supplies to the poor of Guatemala and other developing countries.   Health for Humanity currently sends multidisciplinary teams of volunteer health care professionals to Guatemala and the Philippines. In addition to the surgical program, Health for Humanity works with local NGOs in Guatemala to support various other health care initiatives.    All donations are used to pay for hospital costs, medical equipment, medications and operating room supplies.   They have no paid staff and minimal administrative costs. Volunteers pay for their own travel and accommodation.

Their first surgical mission spent 2 weeks in Guatemala in November 2002 and since then they have sent five more surgical teams to Guatemala.  More recently, they have also sent two surgical teams to the Philippines. Their teams have now completed more than a 1,000 surgeries and supplied much needed equipment to the hospitals they work in.   They work in cooperation with local healthcare professionals and provide education when they can.   In addition, they have provided immunization services to the residents and staff of the hospital in Guatemala.

Health for Humanity will:

• Organize multidisciplinary teams of volunteer healthcare professionals and support staff to travel to developing countries to provide needed healthcare services.
• Collect the funds, medical equipment and supplies to provide these services and arrange their transport to developing countries.
• Provide surgical services at hospitals in developing countries in collaboration with the local hospital staff.
• Provide funding and other support to their partner NGOs in the countries they visit.
• Empower the people and healthcare workers of the countries they visit to meet their own healthcare needs through education and training.
• Work in collaboration with the local Canadian Embassy Staff, Governmental, other non-governmental organizations and the local healthcare community to identify other healthcare projects for which Health for Humanity volunteers can provide assistance.
• Remain non-political.
• Interact with clients in a respectful and non-judgmental manner.

Health for Humanity’s next trip to Guatemala will take place from November 7 – November 21.  To learn more about the group, please visit their website.