Mission Statement
The GOALS of HMM is to:
1) Provide:
Free medical care to thousands of low income Andean natives
2) Donate:
Supplies and equipment to the only local hospital for the state of Huancavelica
3) Support:
Nursing students, orphans, and elderly citizens in the capital city to the State and also to smaller villages of the area
With the implementation of Public Health and Self Empowerment, HMM is dedicated to their goals to improve the access of health-care in Huancavelica.
1) Provide:
Free medical care to thousands of low income Andean natives
2) Donate:
Supplies and equipment to the only local hospital for the state of Huancavelica
3) Support:
Nursing students, orphans, and elderly citizens in the capital city to the State and also to smaller villages of the area
With the implementation of Public Health and Self Empowerment, HMM is dedicated to their goals to improve the access of health-care in Huancavelica.
About HMM
A program that started in 2006 with Dr. Ralph Kuon as the director was as a joint effort by Peruvian American Medical Society with support from: the Ministry of Health of Peru, the Social Security System from Peru, Buenaventura Mining Company, Direct Relief International, medical schools from both USA and Peru, and several private and charitable organizations from Americares and the Clinton Foundation. Through their support Huancavelica Medical Mission (HMM) has successful achieved seven annual missions.
Each year, Dr. Kuon collaborates with the local hospital in Huancavelica to organize a two week medical mission. Throughout the year, Dr. Kuon travels between Peru and the United Sates to manage the logistics of the mission and recruit doctors and volunteers. Each year dozens of doctors and volunteers take time from their work/home providing health and medical care to patients who do not have the economic means to see a physician.
Huancavelica is the second poorest province in Peru and is surrounded by mountains. The location itself isolates the people of Huancavelica from health services that are available. Visiting a doctor is not a top priority when work needs to be done and money needs to be earned.
Doctors diagnose patients and perform countless needed surgeries throughout the two weeks; trying their best to reach out to as many patients as possible during their short stay. Doctors and volunteers encounter many obstacles when treating patients, including limited resources, language barrier, and limited medical equipment. Whether they are American or Peruvian doctors, they work closely together, while sharing their knowledge, ideas, techniques, and the means to cope with and overcome the obstacles that they face. Many doctors return again each year with Dr. Kuon to provide medical care and appreciate the Peruvian culture and way of life.
Each year, Dr. Kuon collaborates with the local hospital in Huancavelica to organize a two week medical mission. Throughout the year, Dr. Kuon travels between Peru and the United Sates to manage the logistics of the mission and recruit doctors and volunteers. Each year dozens of doctors and volunteers take time from their work/home providing health and medical care to patients who do not have the economic means to see a physician.
Huancavelica is the second poorest province in Peru and is surrounded by mountains. The location itself isolates the people of Huancavelica from health services that are available. Visiting a doctor is not a top priority when work needs to be done and money needs to be earned.
Doctors diagnose patients and perform countless needed surgeries throughout the two weeks; trying their best to reach out to as many patients as possible during their short stay. Doctors and volunteers encounter many obstacles when treating patients, including limited resources, language barrier, and limited medical equipment. Whether they are American or Peruvian doctors, they work closely together, while sharing their knowledge, ideas, techniques, and the means to cope with and overcome the obstacles that they face. Many doctors return again each year with Dr. Kuon to provide medical care and appreciate the Peruvian culture and way of life.