Volunteers Provide Care at Med Sites, Hospitals and Rural Clinics

Project HOPE volunteers provided medical care and education in several different locations as they were split up into groups in order to make the most impact during their time in Suriname. A few stayed onboard the USS Iwo Jima, many provided care at the main medical site in Paramaribo, and others were flown into rural parts of Suriname to help those that often have no access to a doctor.

HOPE’s Dr. Colin Muir, a physician from Cocoa Beach, Florida, along with two other HOPE volunteers and military medical professionals participated in a health education mission visiting several hospitals. The group offered a variety of presentations to local health care professionals on topics as varied as sexual transmitted diseases, to dealing with stress, to prenatal care and resuscitation.

"We learned that Suriname has a high level of medical care,” Dr. Muir says. “The people are well educated, and have a high level of knowledge even when dealing with challenges such as delayed test results. Still they handle the challenges pretty well."

Volunteer Corinne Bragg-Muir, a nurse from Cocoa Beach, Florida, also visited a local hospital to participate in a teaching and information exchange session with one of the Navy nurses. "We shared information on STD's, and one of the things we let them know about is the availability of a vaccine for HPV, one of the main sources for cervical cancer in young women," she says.

The day went very smoothly for the main medical site with a steady stream of people, seeking care and information about their health.

Photos and story by Kris Radder, HOPE's Volunteer Public Affairs Officer

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