One-time project

Humanitiarian Mission in Marcara and Huaraz, Peru

By Dr. Jean-Pierre Tchang, optométriste

Marcara is a charming little village in the Andean highlands, situated at the foot of Huscaran (South America’s second highest summit). The landscape of this region is magnificent, but its inhabitants live in extreme poverty. Healthcare is rudimentary, and ophthalmology services are unavailable.

From May 1 to 13, 2006, volunteers from IRIS Mundial worked alongside members of the Independencia-Huaraz Rotary Club in order to conduct the sixth IRIS Mundial ophthalmology campaign in Peru.

During five days of work, our volunteers :

• Performed eye exams on over 3100 people
• Distributed prescription glasses, sunglasses and ocular and systemic medicines
• Administered dental treatment to more than 350 patients
• Examined and treated over 250 people for cutaneous problems
• Carried out 43 eye surgeries (cataracts and pterygiums)
• Operated on 34 people for tumors, ptoses and various
  anomalies

The long trip and the hard work are exhausting. The high altitude thins the air and the temperature varies greatly throughout the day. The nights are cold and the showers do not always have hot water. On the other hand, the gratitude shown by the people being examined is proof that we are there for a good cause.

The IRIS Mundial volunteers hope to repeat this experience during the first week of May 2007. This time our intervention will occur in the municipality of Caraz.