Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacred Valley Disaster Relief

COVID continues to plague Peru and our efforts to help Peru build out its heath care system must continue.  The political unrest that has plagued Peru over the past 5 years is now reaching a boiling point.  Whatever one thinks of the political issues confronting the country, nearly all agree that it is the poor that pay the greatest price.  With dysfunctional government the norm, critical investments to address socieital ills have stalled.  Taken all together, Peru has been unable to effectively prevent and care for the nation’s most vulnerable due to its low investment in healthcare, a severe shortage of medical professionals and a lack of basic supplies and equipment. For example, ICU capacity is limited due to the number of beds but even more so by the small number of doctors and nurses who have this level of expertise. All of these issues raise the need to help build the healthcare infrastructure. To that end, VIDA made 28 shipments in 2022 and have just sent two shippments in January2023 with two more to follow in February 2023. Shipments contain hospital beds, delivery beds, gurneys, cribs, exam tables along with hundreds of walkers and thousands of crutches as well as thousands of boxes of medical supplies including PPE and respiratory equipment and supplies to combat the virus.

A major cost in this project is the ocean freight from Oakland to Callao.. GlobalGiving donors play an important role in making these shipments possible. We hope you can join us in our mission to bring aid to Peru’s most vulnerable communities.

Peru’s per capita fatalities from COVID are the highest in the world driven by a multitude of factors that will take years, if not decades, to fix. The struggle is even more pronounced in the Andean regions impacted by past natural disasters. VIDA’s work in these regions and with this vulnerable population living there has been growing over the decades.

Peru has been unable to effectively prevent and care for the nation’s most vulnerable due to its low number of ICU beds per capita, history of low investment in healthcare, and a severe shortage of medical professionals. ICU capacity is limited due to the number of beds but even more so by the small number of doctors and nurses who have this level of expertise. All of these issues raise the need to help build the healthcare infrastructure. To that end, VIDA has made 25 shipments thus far in 2022. Shipments contain ICU hospital beds, stretchers, exam tables along with hundreds of walkers and thousands of crutches as well as thousands of boxes of medical supplies. VIDA is supporting the opening of a new hospital in Cusco in 2023.  This hospital will provide general services but will also focus on cancer and maternal and pediatric care.   VIDA has already secured 36 hospital beds, seven birthing beds and 18 cribs as well as a wide variety of hospital equipment to outfit the new hospital.  These first two shipments will be leaving for this project shortly in late October..

A major cost in this project is the ocean freight from Oakland to Callao. The additional inland freight cost from Callao to the Andes make these types of shipments very expensive and difficult. We are planning three more shipments before years end! GlobalGiving donors play an important role in making these shipments possible. We hope you can join us in our mission to bring aid to Peru’s most vulnerable communities.

Peru's healthcare system is badly broken. Peru’s per capita fatalities from COVID are the highest in the world driven by a multitude of factors that will take years, if not decades, to fix. The struggle is even more pronounced in the Andean regions impacted by past natural disasters. VIDA’s work in these regions and with this vulnerable population living there has been growing over the decades.

Peru has been unable to effectively prevent and care for the nation’s most vulnerable due to its low number of ICU beds per capita, history of low investment in healthcare, and a severe shortage of medical professionals. ICU capacity is limited due to the number of beds but even more so by the small number of doctors and nurses who have this level of expertise. All of these issues raise the need to help build the healthcare infrastructure. To that end, VIDA made 24 shipments in 2020, 28 shipments in 2021 and 15 shipments thus far in 2022. Shipments contains ICU hospital beds, stretchers, exam tables along with hundreds of walkers and thousands of crutches as well as thousands of boxes of medical supplies including PPE and respiratory equipment and supplies to combat the virus. We are very fortunate to have recently received 34 hospital beds and 5 birthing beds donated by Kaiser that will be leaving for this project shortly in June 2022.

A major cost in this project is the ocean freight from Oakland to Callao. The additional  inland freight cost from Callao to the Andes make these types of shipments very expensive and difficult. We are planning three more shipments before years end! GlobalGiving donors play an important role in making these shipments possible. We hope you can join us in our mission to bring aid to Peru’s most vulnerable communities.

Peru has now registered over 2,200,000 positive COVID-19 cases causing over 202,000 deaths. Peru’s per capita fatalities are the highest in the world driven by crowded living conditions. These realities have resulted in a humanitarian nightmare for Peru. With the Omicron variant beginning to take hold, Peru continues to be in crisis.

Peru has been unable to effectively prevent and care for the nation’s most vulnerable due to its low number of ICU beds per capita, history of low investment in healthcare, and a severe shortage of medical professionals. ICU capacity is limited due to the number of beds but even more so by the small number of doctors and nurses who have this level of expertise. All of these issues raise the need to help build the healthcare infrastructure. To that end, VIDA made 24 shipments in 2020, 28 shipments in2021 and 3 shipments thus far in 2022. Shipments contains ICU hospital beds, stretchers, exam tables along with hundreds of walkers and thousands of crutches as well as thousands of boxes of medical supplies including PPE and respiratory equipment and supplies to combat the virus

A major cost in this project is the ocean freight from Oakland to Callao. We are planning three more shipments before years end! GlobalGiving donors play an important role in making these shipments possible. We hope you can join us in our mission to bring aid to Peru’s most vulnerable communities.

Peru has now registered over 2,100,000 positive COVID-19 cases and is closing in on 200,000 deaths. Peru’s per capita fatalities are now the highest in the world by a wide margin.   The scarcity of vaccines with less than 40% of the adult population receiving at least one shot.  Taken all together these realities have resulted in a humanitarian nightmare for Peru.

Faced with this crisis, Peru has been unable to effectively prevent and care for the nation’s most vulnerable due to its low number of ICU beds per capita, history of low investment in healthcare, and a severe shortage of medical professionals.  ICU capacity is limited due to the number of beds but even more so by the small number of doctors and nurses who have this level of expertise. All of these issues raise the need to help build the healthcare infrastructure. To that end, VIDA has made 25 shipments through October 1, 2021. Shipments contains ICU hospital beds, stretchers, exam tables along with hundreds of walkers and thousands of crutches as well as thousands of boxes of medical supplies including PPE and respiratory equipment and supplies to combat the virus.   VIDA is now working on an emergency food program in the hard hit communities outside of Cusco.  In addition VIDA is working on securing al large donation of vitamins for the benefit of expectant mothers as well as children.  And Finally, VIDA is working on a 100 bed donation from a Nevada based hospital chain set to begin at the end of 2021.

A major cost in this project is the ocean freight from Oakland to Callao. GlobalGiving donors play an important role in making these shipments possible. We hope you can join us in our mission to bring aid to Peru’s most vulnerable communities.