Belize · Americas · Medical Relief Missions
Belize Mini Mission
This Medical Mission Has Been Completed
January 8, 2023 — January 11, 2023
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Mission Archive · January 2023
The Need
***Note: Full COVID-19 Vaccination is Required for Participation***
Join International Medical Relief on this medical mission and health education tour in Belize. Punta Gorda is a small fishing town on the Caribbean coast of southern Belize. It’s a gateway to the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, lying offshore, and Guatemala. Payne’s Creek National Park has coastal wetlands and numerous bird species. Inland are the ruined Mayan city of Lubaantun and waterfalls in Rio Blanco National Park.
Our volunteer team will partner with a small community hospital and their leadership to offer care to the community. Some of the more common diseases in this area include malaria, Chikungunya, dengue fever, and TB. Other chronic conditions include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases.
The team will consult in the hospital, provide sustainable education based on need as identified by the hospital leadership, and partner with community health agents to educate local community members on how to stay healthy and how to care for their loved ones. Because all community members are encouraged to attend, the demand for dental and eye care will be high.
Our Work
Clinics for this mission will take place in the beautiful towns of the Toledo district of Belize. We will locate our clinics within the small health posts in surrounding towns. The Belizean health care workers will be present and available for consult. If and when the need arises for advanced care or wraparound services, the local staff will take the lead. You will have the opportunity to provide community health education with medical care, dental care, and health and hygiene education to countless patients during the week.
This Mission
Join International Medical Relief (IMR) on this medical mission and health education tour in Belize. Visit many beautiful towns throughout Belize that are in need of partnership to elevate healthcare throughout this country. The focus of this mission is extending sustainable education alongside medical and dental relief efforts. Although demand for care will be high, we will be managing clinic participation with heightened protocols to manage the flow and protect volunteers as well as clinic participants
Lodging/Transportation
You and your fellow team members will be accommodated at a safe, clean, and comfortable lodging during the duration of your IMR clinical trip. Transportation will be provided to and from clinic each day. Airport transportation to your lodging is included for anyone on the group flight, or it can also be purchased individually through our partner, Worldwide Navigators. Simply log on to your portal and add it under Trip Add-Ons. If you would like to join the group flight, be sure to complete your application and notify us of your interest by the early bird date.
Highlights
From the moment you arrive in Belize, the people and culture make you feel welcome and comfortable like no place you’ve ever visited. The natural beauty of the country and the inviting culture of the Belizean people are the highlights for this mission!
A unique aspect of Belize is the fact that its undeveloped areas have allowed for nature to live on in a way that draws biologists and environmentalists. With a laid-back ambiance of swinging hammocks, large swaths of impenetrable jungle, and an underwater world of twisted corals, neon fish, and gentle manatees, Belize is a tropical treasure.
Belize is home to many different ethnic groups, including Creole, East Indian, Mayan, and Mestizo, each with its own cultural and linguistic traditions. As a result, many languages are spoken here, but English is the official language. Belizeans of all cultures broadly welcome visitors as they are warmly greeted with large smiles.
When you’re not exploring the natural beauty of Belize, be sure to experience the local cuisine. Famous dishes from the local Garifuna people include a cassava bread called ereba and various rice dishes. Many of our volunteers find that the best part of their mission is the chance to experience some of the different cultures of Belize. With countless opportunities to do so, this will be a trip you never forget.
For additional information, please contact our preferred travel agency, Worldwide Navigators. Their team of experienced agents and travelers is available via email at travel@worldwidenavigators.com.
Extend Your Stay
You’re journeying across the globe. Have you considered extending your stay to visit some of Guatemala’s top spots not far from Belize? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators! Click here to browse their portfolio of trips. You can reach them at (970) 541-8827 or travel@worldwidenavigators.com to learn more about what they can do for you!
Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 · Sunday, January 8, 2023
Arrivals
Day 2 · Monday, January 9, 2023
Travel to Clinic Location
Day 3 · Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Clinic
Day 4 · Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Optional Training Day & Departures
Gallery
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Full Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change without notice.
Please note: Independent flight arrangements should not be made until after the group flight is booked. You will be notified about the group flight at the Early Bird deadline.
If you are planning on flying independently and want to book your flight in advance, please contact Worldwide Navigators at travel@worldwidenavigators.com for the most up-to-date trip information before you book your independent flight. Thank you.
If you are not traveling on the group flight or joining an extension, please click here if you wish to arrange transportation between your arrival airport and your accommodations.
Arrivals
You need to fly into Punta Gorda Airport and arrive by 5:00pm. The team will take the chartered transportation to your accommodations to check in, then gather for dinner and team orientation. If you are not traveling on the group flight and choose to purchase airport transfers, you will be met at the airport by a transportation concierge and taken directly to your accommodations where you will meet the team.
During orientation, your team leader will assign roles for clinic, discuss our community health education efforts in detail, present IMR’s clinic protocols, and provide an overview of the communities your team will serve. Our partners will join us to explain the cultural components, medical landscape, and overview of the medical conditions prevalent in the area.
Meals: Dinner,
Facility Tour, Site Orientation & Clinic
After enjoying a group breakfast full of native, Belizean flavors, your team will transfer to the location for your clinic days ahead. Your team will take a tour of the facility, set up for clinic as needed, and have a site orientation. After preparing the site, your team will begin seeing patients this afternoon.
Clinics begin in the morning and run into the evenings. Your days will be long and hard, but also incredibly rewarding. After the clinic, regroup with your team at your lodging facility for a clinical debrief and team dinner.
Although all your meals are all included, you are welcome to go into town with your fellow team members to enjoy the excellent cuisine that Belize has to offer.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
Clinics begin in the morning and run into the evenings. Your days will be long and hard, but also incredibly rewarding. The clinic venues are small, rural health centers. You will be joined by local physicians, nurses, and pharmacists who can consult on difficult cases or on those who need a higher level of care.
After clinic, you will regroup with your team at your lodging facility for a clinical debrief and team dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Optional Training Day & Departures
International Medical Relief will bring sustainable community and public health education and training to Belize. Local physicians, nurses, and patient care technicians are eager to learn! Our hosts will share their needs and we will develop trainings that bring value longitudinally.
Education is as important as medical and dental care for our patients. Each clinic includes basic health education according to the specialties and skills of the IMR volunteers, as well as the needs of the local people. When communities become empowered to take health and wellness issues into their own hands, they become self-sufficient. IMR provides learning opportunities for the local communities through classes and hands-on learning to sustain their well-being beyond our visit.
You are welcome to participate in our training or spend time exploring the countryside before your departure.
Meals: Breakfast,
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Extension Photos
Extensions
You’re journeying across the globe. Have you considered extending your stay to visit some of Guatemala’s top spots not far from Belize? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators! Click here to browse their portfolio of trips. You can reach them at (970) 541-8827 or travel@worldwidenavigators.com to learn more about what they can do for you!
Flights & Prices
This mission has been completed. The details below are retained for reference; applications and early bird offers for this trip are closed.
Mission minimum donation: $1,600
For current travel arrangements and donation amounts, please view our upcoming missions.
Prepare to Go
A Walk Through Clinic
Download the Team Guide
