Healing Peru: Airmen depart to support medical needs of indigenous people

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique N. Smythe
  • 65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LAJES FIELD, Azores --  Several members of the 65th Medical Group, as well as a few other active duty members within the U.S. Air Force, will participate in a medical volunteer humanitarian project in the rural highlands of the Andes Mountains in Peru April 1 through 15.

This is part of a program called the Q'ewar Project -- a social work initiative program that works with the indigenous women of the Andahuaylillas village which is located in one of the rurally isolated communities where most natives speak the ancient language of Quechua and very few speak Spanish in this Spanish-speaking country.

This medical team, led by Dr. (Capt.) Nicholas Seeliger, 65th Medical Operations Squadron, will travel to the community to assist the people of the Peruvian Andes by providing free medical services, preventative health care, health education and economic assistance.

"The Q'ewar Project focuses on helping women of these communities who are usually coming from really difficult social situations; many of them are either widowed, separated or victims of domestic violence," said Seeliger. "This project brings these women in, teaches them a trade, such as how to make different types of quilts, blankets and dolls (the founders of the project are artists and artisans) and that's how they establish themselves."

This will be Seeliger's fourth trip with medical providers he has met from various courses of life since he first formed the nonprofit organization Healing Peru while stationed at Eglin AFB, Fla., in 2007.
Through Healing Peru, Seeliger and his teams have collected money to purchase medicines and supplies to provide to these people free of charge.
Seeliger said the volunteers receive no formal training related to working in humanitarian environments or other areas that are not already set up with medical resources. They all begin from scratch upon arrival.

"We start from scratch; we bring all of our own medicine, supplies and medical technology," he said. "The community makes announcments that we're going to be there, and then the lines just start to form."
The teams usually visit the village from seven to 10 days, providing medical care for an average of 2,000 people.

"We try to help them the best we can, and then we try to give them a diagnosis and treatment," he said. "The types of illnesses these people have are things most of us take for granted, such as simple lacerations, skin infections, urinary tract infections, arthritis and diseases of labor. These are hardworking farmers; their bodies hurt, so most of what we do is provide pain relief. We provide pain relief medicines, nutritional supplements, prenatals and those kind of things."

Seeliger said probably the most important thing they do is provide medication for these people because even if these Peruvians visit a doctor for free and receive treatment, their government insurance will not often allow for free medicines.

"I think that's an attraction for why we have so many people," he said. "Although the Peruvian government and their healthcare system is a socialized medical system which provides for all people to have access to medical care, the majority of the indigenous people in this part of the Andes do not participate, so their medical care is usually very limited. Their willingness to seek care from their government is also limited."

Seeliger said he usually has between 10 and 20 volunteers accompanying him on this humanitarian project. This year there are 16 -- six from Lajes Field, Azores, one from Gielencirhen, Germany, one from Hill AFB, Utah, three from Eglin AFB, Fla., and several other civilian medical volunteers -- all ranging from medical technicians and administrators to family medicine residents, a family medicine physician, dentist, psychologist, nurse and others.

A 65th MDOS medical technician, Senior Airman Timothy Begley, said he's never been on a humanitarian assistance project such as this before and is definitely looking forward to it.

"I expect that I'll be helping lots of people," he said. "We'll be giving care to people who don't receive health care on a regular basis. I'm glad to have the opportunity to help them and assist with procedures and any patient care that's needed."
This is also the first year a dentist will be on the team.
"Dr. (Capt.) Merill Alley from Gielencirchen, Germany, is a colleague of a friend of mine," Seeliger said. "Right now, the community there is incredibly excited about the dentist coming. He's bringing his own equipment, and the community is going to provide him with as much equipment as they have. The actual local municipality of health is going to help support him with technicians and translators. His presence is going to be a big deal this year."

The newest recruit to the team, Dr. (Maj.) Emily Eschbaucher, is a psychologist from the 65th Medical Group.

"My medical contact in the village inquired if I happened to know someone who may be able to help with a certain population of young adults and adolescences who've been victims of violence, domestic abuse and things of that nature," Seeliger said. "So, I asked her and she was incredibly excited about participating. She also speaks Spanish, so she's going to be great there."
Most of the doctors who've previously gone on this humanitarian project have been English speakers only who've communicated to their patients through translators.
"We've got English to Spanish and Spanish to Quechua translators, and it's interesting," Seeliger said.

This voluntary support allows active duty members an opportunity to expand their skills and flexibility in working in environments that they may not be used to working in. It also allows them to make a huge impact in a place that otherwise would not receive these benefits.

Seeliger said going back to the same town, same village, and working with the same people in this location also allows the opportunity to develop a relationship between the two countries, the U.S. and Peru.