This past July seven Physician Assistant students and two PA faculty members from King’s College traveled to Canto Grande, Peru. Prior to the trip the students and faculty were educated on the mission of Holy Cross and its history in Canto Grande.
In Peru, students were able to perform free daily health screenings and medical visits and teach at the Policlinico Parroquial Hermano Andres regarding dental hygiene, obesity, hypertension, diabetes management, healthy eating, and the importance of physical activity. The students also spent time in the clinic observing and assisting nurses, physical therapists and doctors there. Students ran a health clinic/screening under the supervision of the Physician Assistant faculty on eight days in the Policlinico. They screened over 900 Peruvian people from the area of Lima, San Juan De Lurigancho region, for diabetes, anemia, hypertension, cardiac abnormalities with EKG’s, and vision loss.
Ninety reading eyeglasses were distributed to patients after a reading screening was administered. Vitamins and dietary information were given out to patients who were screened with the hemocue and found to be anemic. Patients diagnosed with aGlucometer screening, known to have diabetes, and/or those found to have elevated blood pressure during the screening campaigns were educated on dietary restrictions and the importance of exercise.
A dental campaign was run one morning at the clinic where the students educated patients on proper dental hygiene. 300 dental kits with toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss were distributed to the local people at the policlinico and the students of Yancana Huasy. 245 hygiene kits consisting of soap, tissues, deodorant, shampoo, and hand sanitizer and 200 first aid kits consisting of band-aids, alcohol pads, antibiotic ointment, Acetaminophen and ibuprofen, gloves, and Q-tips and health information were distributed to patients at the Policlinico, at a local daycare, and at the Peyton Center for the students from Yancana Huasy.
HCMC is grateful and proud that King’s College is the first health or medical programs at our colleges and universities to send students to an international mission site for specialized care. We hope that the college continues their engagement with the missions and that other campuses follow their lead.
