PACH & FIBUSPAM
Our ProgramsPACH takes a unique approach to global health and development. Using the non-profit clinic model, we aim to establish sustainable continuums of care that empower local providers to address the most pressing healthcare needs in their home communities. By building local infrastructure and capacity, we create platforms to improve the lives of Andean communities most in need. Our programs leverage the expertise, motivation, and resources of international partners and volunteers.
Direct Support to Non-profit Clinics
PACH provides direct support to the operational costs of local non-profit clinics, assisting with expenses until they develop into self-sustaining health care facilities. Our partner clinic, FIBUSPAM, in Riobamba, Ecuador is a key case study. Founded in 2007, FIBUSPAM now operates one of the most well-equipped health care facilities in the Chimborazo region. It has achieved 80% sustainability by creating income-generating components of programs, leveraging equipment donations, and developing sustainable partnerships that provide free specialized care to its patient-base.
Local Capacity Building
We are dedicated to building the capacity of local health care professionals in the Andes. Continuing education and specialized training opportunities are often unavailable or inaccessible in the region. By facilitating access to educational and professional opportunities, we empower medical professionals to develop their skills and ultimately drive impact in their communities.
If you are interested in helping us train local doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, please contact us.
Current training needs include:
-Phaco Surgery
-Urgent Care
-Women’s Health
-CPR and First Aid
Make an Impact
Applied Immersion Programs
Volunteer, Learn & Live in a New Culture!
Gain invaluable experience as you support the physical, environmental, and social well-being of Ecuadorian families through delivering primary and specialized medical and entrepreneurial assistance.
General and Specialized Care
In Chimborazo Province, Ecuador, basic healthcare is a daily struggle. A lack of trained medical
PACH supports our local partner, FIBUSPAM, to provide healthcare and hope to the people of Chimborazo though primary care, dentistry, ophthalmology, and multi-specialty surgical programs. Staffed by local doctors and nurses, FIBUSPAM delivers high-quality affordable healthcare to a population who wouldn’t otherwise have access to care.
In addition to FIBUSPAM’s general practitioner, the clinic also provides specialized surgical care in the areas of ENT, ophthalmology, gynecology, vascular surgery, urology, and general surgery. These services have the power to transform the lives of
FIBUSPAM also serves the local community through mobile medical clinics, providing care to the most remote areas of the region on a regular basis and resulting in deep-rooted community trust and respect.
Ophthalmology
Over 240,000 people in Ecuador experience blindness. Of these individuals, 53% could have restored vision through cataract surgery. There are only a few hundred practicing ophthalmologists serving the 15 million people of Ecuador, the majority of whom do not have the equipment and supplies needed to perform cataract surgery.
Over the past five years, PACH has supported our local partner, FIBUSPAM, in establishing an ophthalmology program which enables thousands of Ecuadorians to restore their vision. In partnership with PACH, international volunteers, and donors, FIBSUPAM completes hundreds of cataract surgeries a year.
Restoring sight empowers Ecuadorians and can be a catalyst to alleviate poverty. In developing countries like Ecuador, an average of three people are necessary to care for one person who is blind. Restoring vision to one adult could enable three children to return to school or three adults to resume gainful employment. Cataract surgery not only restores vision for the patient but also frees caretakers to live more productive lives.
Dentistry
Children in Latin America suffer twice the number of dental cavities than children in the United States. It is estimated that as many as 88% of indigenous children living in Ecuador suffer from advanced tooth decay. Overall, Ecuador has the third highest rate of pediatric tooth decay in all of Latin America.
When left untreated, cavities and tooth infections can lead to mouth pain, sleeping and eating disorders, and diminished concentration in school. Poor oral health results in malnutrition, digestive problems, and poor academic performance.
Through the support of PACH and volunteers, our local partner, FIBUSPAM, delivers affordable dental care to children and their families living in Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. FIBUSPAM’s dental clinic promotes sustained oral health by providing bi-annual checkups as well as treating pre-existing dental conditions. By avoiding chronic mouth infections, children have better nutritional outcomes and less mouth pain, enabling them to focus on their educational and career goals.
International Children’s Program
The International Children’s Program promotes lifelong wellbeing
for Ecuadorian children in need of complex care. The ICP has been
connecting children who need specialized treatment with advanced
medical providers at Shriners Hospital in Boston. This program has
facilitated the completion of surgeries for 7 children over 25 trips
and 50 international flights since 2014.
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In-Kind Donations
We are always interested in sourcing equipment for our partner clinic in Riobamba, Ecuador. We also accept contributions towards scholarship funds and mission-specific donations.