Indonesia – Sumba Classic

The Need

While the country of Indonesia is rich in religion, nature, and adventure, its healthcare system suffers immensely.  Leading health indicators show that Indonesia is not making progress in reducing neonatal mortality, infant mortality, reducing communicable disease transmission, and access to health care (APOHOC, 2017).  This is why International Medical Relief is traveling to Indonesia to provide quality medical care for its citizens who would otherwise be unable to access it.

Health education and patient care will make a difference here! You will treat and educate many patients with acute respiratory infections, gastritis, skin infections, fungal diseases, diarrhea, and wounds. You will also see many patients with chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and TB. Measles, prematurity, and accidents are still leading causes of death in children under five. Dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases are especially devastating among the indigenous people on the island.

Join us to provide valuable services in clinic as well as training local healthcare providers. We will be teaching Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), basic first aid, pediatric examination, and more alongside medical clinics each day. Doctors with a particular desire to provide sustainable training in remote areas to local providers and healthcare workers are in need for this mission.

We are also in need of water engineers to assist with building and developing two well systems. Many children here have bloated stomachs; some cannot walk, have stunted growth, have digestive complications, and are underweight.  Many of these complications are due to the lack of clean water in this region.

Our Work

International Medical Relief will be traveling to the island of Bali.  From here, we will fly to the remote island of Sumba to provide rural communities with much-needed health care, dental care, education, and medications. We will attend to children, women, families, the elderly and more. All community members are invited to visit and be provided with education on how to stay healthy and care for their loved ones. We are specifically seeking Helping Babies Breathe Master Trainers to give invaluable knowledge to the local midwives to enhance their skillset. 

Among the indigenous people, poverty, malnutrition, and communicable diseases are major concerns. The most common communicable diseases include dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, and bacterial diarrhea. Children are especially at risk for developing acute illnesses in this area of Indonesia.

With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 17.

IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing. 

In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.

This Mission

Clinics will be held in small villages and remote areas on the island of Sumba. You will fly from Bali to the remote island where you will work in small communities providing health care, dental care, and health education. Your days will be fulfilling as you care for many families, often with many family members, who have never received medical or dental care outside what is offered by traditional healers.

IMR has provided care to the most impoverished villages on several island communities in Indonesia over the last decade. We have also responded to some of the many disasters that Indonesia is prone to.  Join us on this mission as we make a difference for people in the impoverished communities on the island of Sumba. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,500 islands. It has thirty-three provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world’s fourth most populous country.  Indonesia is a beautiful conglomeration of hundreds of distinct native ethnic and linguistic groups. The largest—and politically dominant—ethnic group is the Javanese. Indonesia’s considerable ethnic diversity forms a striking combination with its impressive array of native animal species including tigers, rhinoceros, orangutans, elephants, and leopards.

Lodging/Transportation

On this Classic Trip, you and your fellow team members will be staying at a 2-star accommodation with safe, clean, comfortable rooms. The lodging is simple, basic, safe, comfortable, and affordable. All transportation to and from the clinic has been arranged for you. Professional drivers, safe vehicles, and security are some of the many reasons to join IMR on a trip.

You will stay in very clean rural accommodations. The accommodations, fresh food, and amenities will allow you to recharge and get ready for the next day. Transportation to clinic will be by small trucks or vans with safe drivers and enough room for all.

Indonesian culinary delights include bakso, a savory meatball soup, which is a wonderful part of many meals. Nasi goreng is considered to be the national dish of Indonesia. This take on fried rice is often made with sweet, thick soy sauce called kecap (pronounced ketchup) and garnished with acar, pickled cucumber and carrots. Indulging in the local cuisine is truly a unique island adventure.

This trip will require an in-country flight from Bali to Sumba. Please see the itinerary tab for more information.

Highlights

In one word, the highlight of this trip is “sustainability.” Training local health educators and local nurse midwives on Helping Babies Breathe techniques and seeing the results of your efforts is a true and meaningful joy. This trip also provides you with unique experiences in a very underdeveloped location, working with people left out of the healthcare system in some of the most impoverished places on earth. You will make a huge impact on the lives of many. The sunrises and sunsets are an added bonus, yours for the watching. Be warned! You will leave a piece of your heart behind when you leave this remarkable place.

Extend Your Stay

You’re journeying across the globe. Why not extend your stay in Bali to experience some of its top tourist attractions? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner Worldwide Navigators and some visit of the area’s highlights.

• Experience Tegalalang Rice Terrace and Monkey Forest
• Discover the surrounding seas with a three-point snorkeling tour
• Savor the flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the market

See the Extensions tab on this page for details on these amazing experiences!