Healthcare
Imagine being on an island the size of New York city with no access to medical care. The closest medical facility is more than 1,000 miles away and the only way to get there is by boat. The boat that services your island comes only once a month. Minor illness can become life threatening before medical help can be sought. Pacific H.E.L.P.S. sponsors medical mission trips to these remote islands providing basic healthcare to its inhabitants. For those islands that can be reached by air, Pacific H.E.L.P.S. arranges for medical teams to visit these islands for short periods of time, meeting the healthcare needs of the islanders. Those islands that are only accessible by boat present a major challenge to medical missions. The only boat that services many of the Pacific islands arrives once a month and is frequently out of service due to mechanical problems. An alternative method of delivering state of the art medical care to islanders is needed and Pacific H.E.L.P.S. is poised to deliver.
Pacific H.E.L.P.S. long-term vision is to equip an ocean vessel with medical facilities that can serve many of the Pacific islands bringing medical expertise, improved technology, and medicine quickly. A properly equipped vessel can reach cover most of the Pacific in a matter of days rather than months. Pacific H.E.L.P.S. is exploring a number of possibilities to realize this vision including investigating medical ships that were used by other organizations. Bringing state of the art medical facilities to the Pacific islands will increase the longevity of the islanders and decrease mortality rates. We encourage you to help us realize this vision through your monetary donation, a donation of medical equipment and/or supplies, or a donation of your time as a medical professional.
Telemedicine is another avenue available to Pacific H.E.L.P.S. to deliver medical care to remote areas. Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications technology to provide access to healthcare in remote areas. By establishing satellite communication links between a clinic on a remote island and tertiary care center in a major city, medical professionals can assess patients and recommend treatment. Telemedicine technology is currently being used in the United States to bring medical expertise to remote locations. This same technology can enable islanders in the Pacific to access the same medical expertise resulting in early intervention. To make this technology accessible to islanders, Pacific H.E.L.P.S. will need telecommunications technology and medical professionals willing to see patients that may be thousands of miles away.
Providing healthcare services to those on remote islands presents a unique opportunity to share the gospel. All those obtaining medical care through Pacific H.E.L.P.S. will be presented with the gospel and an opportunity for discipleship. Pacific H.E.L.P.S. seeks to train nationals who are eager to become equipped to serve God and minister to their community.