On September 24th, 6 volunteer dentists arrived at the Cochabamba airport to travel with Mano a Mano to the community of Puerto San Lorenzo for a weekend health clinic (jornada). Puerto San Lorenzo is a small community of 302 people in the department of Beni. There is no source of consistent electricity, but a community representative helped Mano a Mano have access to a generator so that we could provide our normal level of patient care during this jornada. Mano a Mano was able to provide a total of 140 dental treatments to 60 patients. Whenever we fly, we make sure to take advantage of the flight to transport food, medical supplies and/or mobility equipment, and other needed items.
Puerto San Lorenzo Jornada – Photos
Why Aviation is Important in Bolivia
Mano a Mano’s aviation program has 2 primary programs working with Bolivian communities that have minimal access to health care: emergency rescue of ill and injured individuals, transporting them to urban hospitals for life-saving treatment; and weekend clinics for which we transport volunteer health care professionals into remote areas to provide primary medical & dental care. In many of these remote communities, it may be a 10 or 20-hour trip to the nearest available health care; by plane it is a round trip of a couple of hours – which can be the difference between life and death.
Learn More About Mano a Mano’s Aviation Program
- Providing a Weekend Health Clinic in Nuevos Horizontes on September 10th-11th
- Transporting Cargo By Plane to Oromomo – September 3rd, 2022
- Providing a Weekend Health Clinic in San Borja on August 27-28
- Mano a Mano’s Aviation Program: First Half of 2022 Report
- Halfway Through 2022: Working Together to Help Bolivian Communities
- 68,797 Pounds of Supplies and Equipment On Their Way to Bolivia This Week (August 2022)