Finally, after many attempts to set up a program in Guatemala, it seems we have succeeded.  In November, Mary Kay traveled to San Juan de Sacateqequez, Guatemala to meet up with a group from GW University.  In order to be sure that the set up would be a good fit for MIMA, there was no better confirmation than to visit while a team was already working there.  San Juan is about 1 1/2 hours outside of Guatemala City in a rural community with the surgical center nearby the residence.  There are two very well equipped Operating Rooms and a rooming house for patients and their families. The team stays at a Retreat House which is comfortable and quite close to the facility. Meals are provided at the house and also at the hospital.  Knowing the MIMA team, we would probably make our first stop outside the airport at a grocery store to stock up on our own personal supplies and beverages.  Transportation is provided to and from the airport as well as to and from the clinic each day.

The most impressive part though, is that Partner For Surgery has an ongoing program throughout the year and triages patients for the upcoming surgical teams. I can foresee the MIMA team sending volunteers for these Triage Missions as well as for the surgical mission.  At this time, we are working on putting together a Gyne Team for September.  We are blessed to have a core group of female gyne surgeons from Chicago, and they have already committed to this September trip. We are just awaiting confirmation of the dates that they are available, but we are hoping for the first week of September, 2011 ( the week including Labor Day).  We will need a full team of support including scrubs, circulators, anesthesia and pre and post op nurses. Please let anyone you know that may be interested about this opportunity, and visit the abovementioned website for more information.

 

After a most successful Gyne Surgical trip in Sept, 2011, we have committed to Sept  2012 with the same Gyne team. We are in need of anesthesia providers, OR personelle and pre and post op nurses.  The dates that have been confirmed are Sept 22nd to the 30th. There is an optional trip to Antigua for the weekend, but the team will be working from Sunday, the 23rd until  the 27th. Airfare is quite reasonable, and you can book on Spirit or AA once you have committed to the team.  Lodging and meals is quite reasonable; the team paid only $132 for 6 nights with meals included.  The Antigua portion is just for fun, but is also quite reasonable..with hotel rates at about $35 per person per night.  Please let me know if you are interested in joinging this team. 

1. During the year

a.       MIMA Foundation Volunteers collect supplies for the trip

b.      Some examples are sterile supplies, instruments, sutures, medications, monitors, etc

c.       *Surgical Specialty has its own needs- therefore team members must be aware and constantly collecting supplies that will be needed for the trip*

d.      *Supplies that need to be sterilized need to be brought to St. Mary’s in ample time*

e.       Medical volunteers that will hold clinics in the orphanage and outpost should collect items that would be useful in the setting. *Antibiotics are outmost importance however NO EXPIRED MEDICATION*

f.       (those who live in West Palm Beach Area)- will be notified of meeting dates where supplies are organized and packed for the trip.* All supplies must be packed and inventoried and documentation must be in the Bolivian Consulate in Miami 6 weeks prior to departure. No additional non-inventoried supplies can be brought into the country.*

2. VISA

a. THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY- please go to the web site www.bolivia-usa.org for instructions.

b. Order in which you will obtain a visa you must send these documents

1. Send your passport to the Bolivia Consulate in Miami (mailing sites might change for sending passports)

2. Complete Bolivian Visa Application

3. Color Passport size photo

4. Copy of your yellow fever immunization card

5. Copy of airline reservations

6. Copy of hotel reservations or letter of invitation,

7. copy of current credit card or bank statement

8. $100 money order to the Bolivian Embassy in Washington, DC or a local Bolivian consulate. There is one located in Miami and one is to open in the Chicago area in the near future. We are working on trying to get the fee waived or decreased since we are volunteering. We will keep you updated on this matter.

 

3. Yellow Fever Immunization

a.       Is required when traveling to Bolivia and it is your responsibility to obtain and proof will be needed for your Bolivian Visa.

b.      Cost of Yellow Fever Immunization is approximately $100-$150

c.       If you go on to the CDC website, you may see precautions for malaria. However, this is not a risk in the area that we will be working in due to the altitude.

d.      We do recommend repeating your tetanus shot if it is near expiration, and some do recommend Hepatitis A.

 

4. Taking care of yourself in Bolivia

a.       No prophylactic antibiotics should be taken.

b.      Cipro is the drug of choice for intestinal maladies; and we will have that available should anyone need it.

c.       . However, we do take Pepto-Bismol, 2 tabs BID starting 48 hours prior to departure and to continue throughout the trip.

d.      We are very careful with our food and water, since this is the biggest risk that you may encounter.

e.       If you stay with the group, and eat at the restaurants that are recommended, avoiding fruit and vegetables and any drinks that are not bottled, the risk diminishes to almost nil. You can check the CDC web site for complete health travel information.

 

5. Packing for the trip

a.       Remember that in Bolivia it is Winter

b.      daytime high temperatures approximately 65 degrees F, and lows at night in the 40’s

c.       dress casually; jeans and t-shirts and light jackets, sweatshirts or fleece jackets are the attire daily(one evening is set aside for a party)

d.      There are laundry facilities at the hotel

e.       You will need to bring your own scrubs and lab coats and outdoor type clothing for visiting the clinics in the mountains.

f.       The weather outside the city can be cooler and rougher terrain, so light weight hiking boots are useful. Please, only one suitcase each. We use all extra weight allotment for boxes, filled with needed medical supplies

 

6. Hotel

a.       We stay at a very nice Apart-Hotel; called (Hotel Anteus)

b.      This is like a small efficiency apartment usually with refrigerator and private baths. All rooms are doubles with plenty of privacy; however, some volunteers feel strongly about having private accommodations. If they are available and it is reserved in advance, team members are responsible for the additional cost (approximately $150 per week.)

c.       Voltage is 220w and adapters are necessary for electrical appliances and they can be bought at Wal-Mart or a travel store.

d.      Telephones are available in each room. It is highly recommended to purchase a MCI card prior to departure or to arrange a long distance rate on your calling card for use in Bolivia. It can be as cheap as 50 cents per minute or as expensive as $4.00 per minute. There is an Internet directly across the street from the hotel. It is very reasonable and the computers are great.

 

7. Departure

a.       Team 1 will leave on June 9^th, 2011, returning on June 18(dates are subject to change)

b.      Team 2 will leave on June 16^th , 2011, returning on June 25(dates are subject to change)

c.       If you have any plans to fly apart from the group or stay beyond the scheduled dates, I need to know in advance. My email is ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

d.      We travel as a group in order to get a slight discount on the flights and the extra allotment for the baggage, and West Palm Beach team travels together to the airport in Miami, and will be arranged as we get closer to the departure.

e.       Flights to Bolivia and back to Miami are usually at night arriving at the destination on the next day. Please remember this if you are making other reservations or plans upon your return. We arrive in Cochabamba at approximately 8:30 am the following morning. They are on EST. The return flight usually arrives back in Miami around 6 am the following morning.

 

8. Arrival in Bolivia

a.       Will be greeted by friends, hospital personnel, and curious citizens that have been anticipating the MIMA team.

b.      The team will be brought to the hotel.(this day is a free day to get organized and rest)

c.       There will be an announcement board in the hotel lobby to advise the team daily of the schedule.

d.      We will meet in the evening for dinner and discuss the plans for the following day.

 

9. Taking care of yourself throughout the week

a.       Remember that Cochabamba is 8400 feet in elevation; the outlying clinics are even higher.

b.      You will need to drink plenty of water daily to maintain hydrated. Bottled water will be available in your hotel room as well as in various locations at the hospital.

c.       It’s best to bring a sports water bottle that you can refill throughout the day. Only bottled water should be used. This includes brushing your teeth, and no ice in your drinks.

d.      You should have 48 hours of Pepto-Bismol in your system by this time, but there is never a time that you should let your guard down.

 

 

 

10. On Sunday

a.       After breakfast, we will go to the hospital for clinic day

b.      We will be visiting patients that have already been pre-screened for surgery and the surgical schedule will be made at this time.

c.       Those not working in the clinics will be unpacking supplies and organizing the work room so everything is ready for the start of surgery on Monday morning.

d.      Many team members bring snacks for the week at the hospital. We also bring a box of food, such as tuna, chicken, crackers, cheese, etc for lunch at the hospital.

e.       However, if you can stuff some of your favorite snacks into your suitcase, you will be happy with the diversion by the week’s end.

f.       Dinner will be your own responsibility. The cost will average $5-$10 depending on the restaurant and your order. Breakfast at the hotel and lunch at the hospital will be covered by MIMA.

 

11. On Monday

a.       Surgery starts on Monday after meeting for breakfast at the hotel

b.      The group leaves together on the bus that will be provided for us for the entire week. We attempt to keep the schedule reasonable; beginning surgery by 9 am and finishing by 5 pm.

c.       Those that leave for the clinics will depart from the hospital and the schedule will determined on a daily basis.

d.      At the day’s end, the team usually goes to dinner at one of several recommended restaurants. We have been traveling to Cochabamba for 15 years and it is highly recommended that you eat only in the locations that are tried and true with minimal risk of illness. We have a list of these places if you decide not to eat with the team.

 

12. Throughout the week

a.       There is not much free time. (However Friday night is usually our party night and we normally have a party at the hotel for the hospital staff we have worked with during the week. Dressy clothes are not necessary for this evening

b.       Saturday morning is free for shopping and sightseeing.

c.       The usual departure from the hotel to the airport is 6 pm, and we attempt to check the baggage in advance, giving more free time on the last day. A departure tax of $24 per person is needed to leave the country. This is paid at the airport in Cochabamba and is your responsibility.

d.      We have great shopping locations and lots of tips. American dollars are accepted everywhere, but they cannot have any marks on them or be torn. It’s best to keep them in small denominations, $20 being the largest. Credit cards are accepted in many locations, but with a hefty charge, and travelers checks are rarely used for the same reason.

e.       We actually travel with American money, leaving the majority of it locked up in the hotel safe until needed.

f.        We will be arranging a side trip after the team finishes working



HI...Everyone...we are well into the planning of the 2011 Medical Mission to Bolivia.  Our departure dates are confirmed..June 7th with return on June 17th anddeparture on  June 14th returning on June 24th. We will be planning some extension trips..so if you are interested..let me know...Not sure where yet...we are thinking about Tarija..the wine country. 

As far as the Wish List is concerned...

WE need scrub techs..and CRNAs...put the good word out..and be in touch with me directly at my email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We have the dates now for the 2012 trip to Bolivia.  Please let me know which week you are interested in.

Departure on Aero Sur Thursday June 14th.returning on the 23rd or 24th ( depending on the flights)

or second week departing on the 21st  with return on the 30th or July 1st. 

The price of this year's trip is approximately $1350 depending on airline ticket prices.