Honduras is a country infamous for its political corruption, crime and violence and its unsurprisingly that this influences many aspects of daily life for its citizens. Limited access to healthcare is an ongoing concern for people, particularly in rural communities with poor transport links.

In June I will travel with the Edinburgh University Medical Aid International Society to Honduras on a Medical Brigade designed to improve medical care and promote good public health in communities lacking resources. Global Medical Brigades is an international student led organisation which aims to work with communities in Central America to implement sustainable programmes which directly benefit local people. Communities approach the organisation and through brigades, students help design, plan and implement their agenda.

Our trip will involve hands on experience in medical centres, pharmacies and education sessions. This presents a valuable opportunity for myself to gain medical experience outside of a Western setting, particularly an understanding of distribution of disease, contrasting the largely treatable impact of infectious disease in Honduras to the management of chronic diseases in the UK.
Conversely, the holistic approach of brigades leaves a lasting benefit for communities through the training of health visitors, supply of medical equipment and implementation of educational programmes.

Donations for this trip go directly towards the running costs of brigades including the purchasing and transportation of vital medication and equipment, and help maintain the work of the Medical Aid International Society.