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IHS Honduras Mission

Trip Orientatio

n

I.H.S. ** Medical Teams In Honduras **

International Health Services travels to several remote Honduran sites including the 'La Mosquitia'. Usually, there

are no roads or vehicles in this area of the country so we often travel to and from there by small aircraft, boats, and

with other vehicles. The primary work of IHS is to operate remote surgical units, medical clinics, eye glasses clinics,

plus dental clinics. Much work is done with many friendships made along the way. The following pictures

are a small glimpse of what we accomplish in medical care and the conditions we work under.

I.H.S. In addition to two or three surgical sites,

International Health Services also sends about six or seven medical/dental clinic teams. The following short presentation is focused on the

medical side of our mission but we have included some info on logistics and travel. In addition to our tiny web site, our group has a newsletter that is filled with more info on the

work we do. It is called NewsBreak and it comes out once a year in the summer.

NewsBreak has many stories from the workers who went on the mission this past February. If interested just call or e-mail us and we would

be happy to send you one. (contact info at the end of the presentation)

"We are going to where?!!"

The following map of Honduras will show you how many places we send

teams during a typical February mission. There are a couple surgery

and eye glasses teams. However, most of them are medical/dental teams. In this way we are able to handle just about any case that

walks in the door.

* One detail to remember is that there often are references to MOUNTAINMOUNTAIN teams. They are the ones south and west of La Ceiba. LaEsperanzaLa Union / YoconBelAireTocoa

* References to REMOTEREMOTE teams are for the teams around Puerto Lempira (PLP).Rus RusLisangnipuraKruta River

Check these places on the map again

The map looks a bit busy but the mission of each team is relatively straight forward.

Prior to going in the field, each team and each person gets a good orientation on the primary work they will have to do.

All supplies, including medical, are sent to the remote sites by IHS. All year long IHS people are collecting what they can from hospitals and other

sources. Many items have to be purchased to ensure that we have all the necessary supplies on

hand. We can not expect to have supplies available to us in Honduras. Even if they were, it would be a

terrible burden on the local Hondurans to pay for these items. The cost of surgical supplies and

pharmacy items make up a giant portion of the IHS annual budget. Our fundraisers are critical to the

success of each mission.

Before a mission begins, supplies are collected during the year in a Minneapolis warehouse. These boxes are

medical/dental supplies, hospital equipment, and personal gear.

About the first week of January all the supplies are loaded into container trucks. Sometimes there are over a thousand items to load. It takes many volunteers to get the job done.

In February, IHS usually sends 2 or 3 surgery teams to Honduras. Many of the patients who

come for surgery are referred in from our remote and mountain teams in small villages. These

teams run basic medical and dental clinics and can not handle the more intensive care needed

with surgeries. We usually have 6 or 7 of these 'clinic' teams.

..

In February, IHS usually sends 2 or 3 surgery teams to Honduras. Many of the patients who

come for surgery are referred in from our remote and mountain teams in small villages. These

teams run basic medical and dental clinics and can not handle the more intensive care needed

with surgeries. We usually have 6 or 7 of these 'clinic' teams.

Here is a glimpse of village medical/ dental clinic teams in operation in

“remote” locations.

Some teams will go by boat. This one is on the Kruta River.

Some places we have to use a small plane. Here we have food, water, medical and engineering supplies being unloaded.

For many this annual clinic is the only health care they will ever see. Many walk for hours from other villages

to be seen. Some come by boat.

Each doctor will see a whole family at one time. Some mothers bring six or seven children. Many of these women start having children in their

early teens. Once in a while the husband will come with the family, too.

Ailments vary drastically from skin diseases to conditions relating to poor diet and hygiene. This woman has a hard life. She is probably in

her early thirties but looks much older.

Note the two gals on the right were interpreters who were ready to help with the many patients who do not speak English.

Everyone gets personal attention.

This lady had a minor surgery done on site. We come prepared for most anything. It is good to know a plane is ready to take serious cases from our remote team sites to the nearby IHS surgery team if needed.

In most villages most of the buildings are made out of wood. Sometimes the clinic may be a cement block structure. Here is the pharmacy area of the new clinic. Most of the items on the shelf are what our team brought to use during the mission. Many items will get left after we leave to help the locals.

Here, Araldo set up IHS supplies and instruments in the dental clinic. This is a nice setup as most villages have no dental chair or equipment of any kind.

The lidocaine, sterilizing agents, and other supplies are supplied by IHS. This is good so that each dentist does not have to bear the cost of all the supplies.

IHS does have some equipment to do fillings. However many sites are so busy that there is only time to do extractions…. at least the first few times we go to a village.

The doctors, nurses, and others often do consultations on the radio with other IHS doctors and team members. We also call to make

arrangements for the small airplane to transport surgery patients.

Note all the shortwave radio gear. The laptop is used to create messages. We can talk long distances and also send and receive E-MAILS any

where in the world. All this from a small village using an IHS generator.

We bring a generator to the village to power our dental clinic, radio gear

and work lights.

A battery is handy for radio use when the

generator is off. That will allow us 24/7

comm to other teams and e-mail to & from

friends at home.

The team engineer will have the task to keep

power going and to do other handy man work

whenever needed.

In most remote villages we will use a school or church building for sleeping and where we do our meals. Typically they are an open room and we are able to move their hand

made furniture to one side to make room. Most people prefer to sleep in mosquito tents as there usually is no glass

or screens in the windows.

We often have a local gal do some of our cooking but we do some of our own meals, too. We eat pretty good, all things

considered.

We usually have a hot meal in the evening. Other meals are provided using fruit cups, granolas, soups and other easy to make items. We can be creative since we can bring things

that are dehydrated or are in tins.

Here is a local school room. Araldo was there to give dental hygiene classes to the students. He also handed out many tooth brushes. As in many of the local villages,

children go through about the sixth grade, at least most of them do.

This is a big step forward from what they had even 20 years ago.Some of the subjects taught in the school are Geography, Math, and Science. They

also teach Spanish since the predominant language of remote villages is Miskito.

Work On An Eye Glasses Team

Besides reading & sun glasses, eye teams also do eye tests & hand out prescription glasses.

Many important tests are done

Having good testing equipment is important

Having an optometrist really helps to evaluate difficult cases and to know what to do for them.

We can do house calls and emergency work with some of our portable equipment. We found this young girl nearly blind. We come across cataracts and many other eye

ailments, too. Some get referrals to other eye surgery teams.

Here we are fitting reading glasses and checking them. Most of the prescription glasses come from the Lions.

Work On A Surgery Team

I.H.S.

In addition to six or seven medical/dental sites, International Health Services also sends about two or three surgical teams. The following part of this presentation is focused on the surgical side of our

mission. Their work compliments that of the medical & dental clinics. At many surgery sites, local people will help. Sometimes they will even

observe and assist to learn new procedures.

Here we are in the Puerto Lempira hospital. Much of the equipment was donated and brought to Honduras by IHS.

Besides the surgeon, an IHS surgery team will also have one or two CRNAs, a surgical scrub nurse, a circulating nurse, and others as needed.

This little girl was taken care of by an IHS team in LaCeiba.

We must always remember why we go… to serve the needs of our

Honduran brothers and sisters!! If we have done that, we have made a

difference. At the end of the mission, we often feel that we have gained as

much as those we came to serve. Friendships with the local people, as

well as with team mates, last a life time.

Taking A Side Trip

(most people do)

After the two week mission, some choose to take a little side trip to see the

sights !

Frances from Tourist Options helps team members with some local travel

plans after the mission.

Most new participants do not realize that the posted dates for the IHS mission actually have some FREE days at the end to do as you please. Most people use that time to go on a side trip. The actual mission work and return to LaCeiba finishes on the last Thursday of the trip. That evening is when we have the FAREWELL BANQUET when many say their good byes before leaving on some adventure the next morning.

The next morning many will leave to such places as Roatan Island, Copan Mayan Ruins, Tela resorts, or Utila Island. There are also local adventures such as whitewater rafting, rain forest adventures and local shopping. Frances knows our schedule and can arrange such side trips and make them work with your Sunday or Monday return to the US. She can work it out for other return days and places, too.

Early on you do not need to decide which side trip you want to do BUT…you do need to plan how many free days you want to have at the end so you can plan your return flight back home. Nearly everyone returns home that last Sunday or Monday as most side trips finish then and you get home in time for work the next day. (yah!)

Talk to a Team Leader or appropriate veteran on such details.

Here is why

we go!

Care is given one person at a time !

For all who plan to go on a mission trip, we do understand that this orientation does not give every detail of every topic. The intention is to give you a basic insight to the mission and the work we do.

Always rely on your Team Leader for details of the trip to your specific team site. Do not wait for info. If you have a question, ask someone right away !!

……Presentation by:

W.A.M VideosPhone 763-634-2590

Below are two links to Internet video clips. Copy & paste them to your browser to view our teams in action.

* BelAire(mountain area team)www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHT7Q9eSqlM

* Kruta River(remote area team)www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IUK0kzD_hE

……Presentation by:

W.A.M VideosPhone 763-634-2590

IHS Info:

John KirckofIHS Info & Recruitment Dir.Ph 320-634-4386

JMKKEK@Yahoo.com

Renee DonnellyAss’t DirectorPh 218-244-6842

Donnelly@PaulBunyan.net

Web site:www.IHSMN.org

The End

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