Churcampa Medical Mission

Churcampa, which lies in the Peruvian Andes at an elevation of 11,000 ft, bears some of the poorest conditions in all of Peru. Most of its residents are directly descended from the Incas. The 485 years since the arrival of "Conquistadores" have rendered destruction in social progress, health, education and other parameters of well-being. Such despair led to the populations strong support for the Shining Path terrorist movement that for over 20 years reigned uncontrolled. Thousands in the state of Huancavelica lost their lives to the Shining Path and the subsequent war; there were only higher casualties in the neighboring state of Ayacucho. Churcampa's current posta medica can only accommodate simple deliveries. Even so, 59% of women in Huancavelica give birth without any kind of health professional present and because of that the child mortality rate is extremely high. Anyone requiring urgent medical care needs to be sent to the nearest hospital which is 4 hours away. In addition, the percentage of children living in poverty is 94%, which is the highest in the country.

PAMS, the Peruvian American Medical Society, conducts medical mission trips to impoverished areas of Peru, however Churcampa cannot benefit from these programs because it doesn't have the necessary sterile environment. By building an operating room, not only would it improve immediate health conditions but potentially could allow for us to secure a regular PAMS mission to provide services in cardiology, OB/GYN, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and more.

This August, with the combined efforts of PAMS Southern California chapter and RAKLife, we will be expanding the medical post by building an operating room; conducting a medical fair that will provide ambulatory medical care and tetanus vaccinations; offering optometry services and donating glasses; donating medical supplies to the medical center; doing repairs on the local church and elementary school; and providing the children of Churcampa and the surrounding areas with warm socks, tennis shoes, backpacks, and rain ponchos.

We have been fundraising and planning for over a year and we are nearly there! Please consider making a donation, anything helps! 

Please contact Mimi Mize for more information by emailing [email redacted]