On January 7, Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean were hit by an earthquake that registered 6.4 on the Richter scale. Another earthquake measuring 5.0 followed on January 25. Now, International Medical Relief needs dentists to join its three upcoming outreach trips to Puerto Rico to provide oral healthcare in the aftermath of these disasters.
Hitting the southern region of Puerto Rico the hardest, the earthquake knocked out power in more than two-thirds of the island. Families and children in the area are surviving amid massive complications that have stricken the healthcare structure of its communities. The GoGo Pediatric Institute has invited International Medical Relief to provide care.
Volunteers will host clinics where education and health promotion are key factors for long-term sustainability for the local communities. They will work in the areas where the earthquake has done the most damage across the southern region of the island, from Guyanilla to Lajas, treating hundreds of patients.
Lodging will be bed-and-breakfast style accommodations that are clean, safe, and comfortable. Transportation will be provided from lodging to clinic locations each day via private vans. Volunteers should bring external power supplies for their electronics, since electricity in the area is not expected to return until 2021.
Trips are scheduled for February 29 through March 4, February 29 through March 8, and March 4 through March 8.
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