Medical Clinics

TORCH teams provide medical services on three difference levels in Honduras. The first is through its partnership with Clinica de Esperanza in Santa Ana. Clinica de Esperanza is a fully staffed free medical and dental clinic under the direction of Gayle Davidson. The clinic provides ongoing, on-site basic medical services. In addition to the clinic, IRC helps support mobile clinics and short term medical projects, including dental services and medical services. Finally, IRC coordinates the relocation of medical equipment and resources from facilities in the United States to hospitals and clinics in Honduras.

Medical clinics are in high demand in Honduras.  Most of the people in the villages have no access to medical care and no way of paying for their medications.  When we arrive in a village as many as 400 people start lining up immediately.  Some people will stand in line for 8 hours just to be seen.  The people are grateful for any help you can give them.  The mission team has many jobs at the medical clinic.  A healthcare provider will see the patients.  Interpreters that are well versed in medical terminology are needed to assist the providers.  The pharmacy is a very busy one, and involves keeping up with medications, dosages, and explaining instructions in Spanish. Keeping order for the patients to be seen is difficult at times.  They are desperate for your help with their medical problems and want vitamins for their hungry children who are tired of waiting.  Bringing water for the thirsty and entertaining the people in line is a ministry in and of itself.

Clinica de Esperanza

Clinica de Esperanza opened its doors in 2007. The clinic became a dream of founder Gayle Davidson while serving on short term mission trips with Co-leader Tim Hines since 1999. Without negating the value of medical care provided in villages, Gayle understood that access to long term care could change lives in a more powerful way. To date, Clinica Esperanza has served more than 82,439 patients on the medical side and over 10,021 on the dental side. Clinic involved mobile medical clinics in the villages have served over 26,045, and there are many more that have been helped by all mobile clinics.

To learn more about Clinica de Esperanza, please visit their site at www.ClinicOfMyHope.org

Mobile Medical and Dental Missions

Throughout the year, IRC coordinates visits from medical and dental professionals in the U.S. to rural areas of Honduras. These teams of doctors and dentists volunteer their time and resources to come improve the health and well-being of the people of Honduras. From minor medical procedures to root canals and fillings, the goal is to provide quality care that people otherwise could not afford.

Resource Relocation

Several times a year, IRC coordinates the collection of medical equipment (used and new) in the United States and arranges for their transport via shipping container to Honduras. These items include a variety of machines, monitors and other tools no longer used in American hospitals, but represent an upgrade over the equipment readily available in Honduran hospitals. In addition to arranging for the transport of medical equipment, IRC also helps transport large numbers of medical supplies.