On Sunday the first of April, Helping Hands Cusco along with the help of Farmacia Amistad held a medical campaign in the impoverished area of Paradiso de Guadalupe in Cusco. The aim of the campaign was to provide free medical checkups and general medicine prescriptions for the people of the area who otherwise can’t afford to see a doctor let alone pay for their medication.

With the equipment, Rosa, the doctor and volunteers readily packed into the car we headed to the area of Paradiso de Guadalupe, ready for the task at hand. Rhodri and Myra, two volunteers working for Helping Hands had been promoting the event the day before and had put fliers throughout the neighborhood and in local shops in order to raise awareness of the medical campaign.

After setting up the consultation tent, we waited for our patients to come; and they sure did come. Everybody was assigned a different role for the campaign: Myra was in charge of taking patients’ details such as; name, age and weight; Rhodri was in charge of taking the blood pressure of the patients; whilst Rosa played nurse for the day as she assisted the doctor with his appointments.

The medical campaign was a great success as the doctor was able to see more than a hundred and ten people during the duration of the morning. Each visitor to the portable clinic was given attention, suitable medication and refreshments. Team spirit was high and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their day at the campaign.

Unfortunately we didn’t have the time or the resources to provide everyone who came with an appointment – this is where we need YOUR help! Each medical campaign costs up to 750 nuevo soles (US$ 290), this price includes payment of a doctor, medication and transport to and from the campaign. Helping Hands Cusco would love to run even more medical campaigns and see every last person that comes to the campaigns.

Although you might take medical care for granted, these free campaigns are a chance for some of the poorest people in Cusco to treat a problem that would otherwise have to be ignored due to lack of funds to see a doctor.