Baby formula for HIV+ teen mothers in Lima, Peru

Six shipments carrying over $10 million in aid arrives in Peru.  In September and October 2013, VIDA Peru has received generous donations from our warehouse in Emeryville, California and our partners Americares and Direct Relief.  The shipment contains much needed hospital equipment from hospital beds to anesthesia machines, 80 pallets of medical supplies, and a shipment of antibiotics. These donations will be distributed to over 20 projects throughout Peru.

VIDA is also excited to announce our new pilot program called Medical Student Health Care Initiative managed by San Francisco based physician Michael Halperin.  The project links medical school students here in the United States and abroad to the Peruvian healthcare system through a two week visit to hospitals and clinics throughout Peru.  The inaugural trip included medical students from Saba University Medical School in the Dutch Caribbean.  The students spent 10 days visiting VIDA program sites and working with health care professionals and documenting the healthcare system in Peru.

A highlight of the trip was a visit to VIDA’s Pamplona project where many of Peru’s poorest residents live.  There they witnessed the ramifications of the serious issues plaguing the Peruvian healthcare system: overcrowding at public institutions, very long wait times, little coordination, strained allocation of health resources and personnel, especially where need is greatest.  VIDA Peru’s projects fill the gaps in the resource starved healthcare system.  The one room clinic serves a population of 10,000 inhabitants and delivers primarycare and educational programs to help minimize preventable illnesses. 

Four ocean containers and one airlift carrying over $4.5 million in aid arrived in Peru in March 2013.  The three containers were filled to capacity with hospital beds, exam tables, wheelchairs, surgical kits along with thousand of boxes of much needed medical supplies.

These donations will be distributed to over 40 clinics and hospitals including programs that work with patients suffering from HIV. This donation will benefit tens of thousand of patients who are too poor to be able to receive medical treatment.  La Comunidad de Ninos Sagrada Familia in Ventanilla, Peru is receiving one of the containers and will receive a portion of the antibiotic shipment.  This orphanage houses and educates over 800 children ranging in age from birth to 16 years old.  VIDA is committed to serving the long-term needs of the orphanage as well as helping to alleviate the immediate suffering of the children who are fighting infection due to poor sanitation and other risk factors associated with poverty.

 We are also excited to announce that four shipments are leaving our warehouse in Emeryville carrying valuable medical supplies and equipment in May 2013.  This will benefit tens of thousands of people suffering in Peru.  VIDA is working hard to surpass our 24 shipments in 2012 and have set a goal of shipping 30 containers in 2013.  This incredible program would not be possible without your support!