Puerto Rico

The Need

As a US territory, Puerto Rico’s citizens are guaranteed certain health benefits under the Affordable Care Act, together with the Health Insurance Code. These benefits are outpatient and medical-surgical services; hospitalization; emergency services; maternity and neonatal care; mental health services; diagnostic tests; pediatric services, including vision and dental; medicines; habilitation and rehabilitation; and preventive and wellness services. According to the World Health Organization, areas to be addressed through technical cooperation include chronic diseases, health promotion, nursing, bioethics, healthy aging, communicable diseases, environmental health, information management, disaster management, and humanitarian assistance.

Though many health regulations and goals are in place, there are still several communities that would greatly benefit from your skills and expertise. The World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization reported that in 2012, 45.4% of the women participating in a reproductive health survey stated that they did not use contraceptives. In 2014, although 83.4% of pregnant women began prenatal care in the first trimester and 35.7% experienced adequate weight gain, 47.2% of them had cesarean deliveries. However, maternal deaths have declined from six in 2010 to three in 2014.

Other health issues you may see include depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, circulatory system diseases, malignant tumors, heart disease, diabetes, Dengue, which is endemic in Puerto Rico, Zika, influenza, vision problems, and hypertension. In addition to medicine, the main focus of this mission is education. You and the rest of your team will educate community members on how to stay healthy in regards to their area’s main issues and health concerns.

Our Work

International Medical Relief began working with Puerto Rico in 2017 and has since served nearly 4,000 patients with more than 250 staff and volunteers. In 2017, IMR provided medical relief in Puerto Rico, but quickly expanded our efforts to provide disaster relief in response to hurricane Irma in 2018. Also, in January of 2020, Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean were struck by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and several aftershocks. In the wake of the earthquake, families and children are surviving amid massive complications that have stricken the health care structure of the communities. IMR initially responded to the disaster in February 2020, sending several teams to provide relief to those affected. To continue achieving IMR’s goal of providing sustainable healthcare services, IMR continues to provide the community with health training, medical treatments, medical supplies and equipment, and clinic operations.

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

The island of Puerto Rico is an archipelago in the Greater Antilles, located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The US territory is organized into eight senatorial districts and 78 municipalities. A commonwealth of the United States, Puerto Rico has a total land area of 9,105 square kilometers. The estimated population in 2015 was 3,474,182, a 6.6% decline from 2010. In 1990, the population pyramid had an expansive structure, but it has since become regressive with population aging (14.6% of the population was over 65 in 2015). In addition, the population’s age structure has also been affected by lower fertility and premature mortality, as well as emigration. Life expectancy at birth in 2013 was 79.5 years (75.8 in men and 83.1 in women).

In January of 2020, Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean were struck by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and several aftershocks. Hitting the southern region of Puerto Rico the hardest, the earthquake knocked out power in over two-thirds of the island. The earthquake largely affected Puerto Rico, plummeting buildings, uprooting trees, destroying houses, and neighborhoods. In the wake of the earthquake, families and children are surviving amid massive complications that have stricken the health care structure of the communities. IMR initially responded to the disaster in February 2020, sending several teams to provide relief to those affected.

In IMR’s continued effort to provide medical education and relief to those underserved, we have been invited to return to Puerto Rico. Your help is needed!

Lodging/Transportation

Throughout your time in Puerto Rico, you will stay in accommodations that will be centrally located in San Juan and be safe and clean. While here, you will have easy access to many cafes and restaurants where you can sample the local cuisine.

To help make your trip worry-free, IMR will arrange daily transportation to and from your clinic location.

Highlights

The gratitude that you receive while working here will be life-changing and may inspire you to continue humanitarian work once you return home. Outside of clinic, your trip highlights will include the exciting ways you decide to spend your free day, the island’s culinary delights, and the serenity of palm trees.

Extend Your Stay

Since you are already venturing across the globe, have you considered extending your stay to experience more of Puerto Rico? Although this island is a frequent stop for travelers, the white and black sand beaches, coral reefs, vast wildlife, and incredible archeology make Puerto Rico a beautiful place to explore.

See what exciting adventures our partner, Worldwide Navigators, is offering exclusively to IMR volunteers on their website at WorldwideNavigators.com and feel free to contact them at travel@worldwidenavigators.com to help you plan your trip extension.

Itinerary at a Glance