Support Public Hospitals

The health system in Ecuador is divided into private clinics and public hospitals. While most private clinics and medical practices are well-stocked and equipped, public hospitals often lack the necessary free beds, enough specialist staff, and financial resources to get enough medical supplies.

In this volunteer project, you work in a public hospital in Quito. It mainly deals with people who can not afford private health care and are attendet by the state health care system.

This volunteer project is aimed primarily at medical students and nurses. Non-healthcare professionals can participate, but are not entrusted with medical tasks, but are primarily concerned with the well-being of young patients by paying attention to them in conversation, entertainment and play.

The hospital covers the following specialist areas:

• Mother-child station
• Emergency room
• Stomatology
• Oncology and radiotherapy
• Neurology
• Nephrology
• Urology
• Gastroenterology
• Ophthalmology
• Obstetrics
• Cardiology
• Rehabilitation
• General surgery
• Center for Risky Obstetrics
• Special infectious disease team

During your first couple of days of volunteering at the hospital, you will receive an orientation. This includes a tour of the hospital, a visit to all the different areas, and a meeting with the staff. While at the hospital, you can choose which area(s) you would like to work in, and then you will accompany your doctor or nurse and look at the different procedures in the area. 

Day-to-day tasks will depend on your previous experience. Volunteers who have some medical experience will take blood pressure and assist nurses during treatments. Medical students or doctors will observe surgeries and assist with treatments. Those with no healthcare background will go on walks with patients and play games with them.

You can choose if you want to work Monday-Friday, from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm or 2:00 pm until 5:30 pm (subject to changes). You will have weekends off.

On the first day of the project, you will spend the day in Quito where you will explore the city and familiarize yourself with the public transportation system. You will also learn about issues in the country, security measures, and more details about your accommodation.

With its rich pre-Columbian history, the capital of Ecuador was founded on the ruins of an Inca city, and nowadays offers everything a modern traveler may need. Quito remains one of the best preserved historic city centers in Latin America and UNESCO declared it a world heritage site. This huge city stretches over a fabulous Andean valley surrounded by volcanic peaks. Among its streets, you can find 40 churches and chapels, 16 convents and monasteries with their respective cloisters, 17 squares, 12 convent and refractory courtyards, 12 museums and innumerable beautiful patios.

Just 33 kilometers north of Quito is the Middle of the World, the place with the line that divides the planet earth in the northern and southern hemisphere.

Further north, an hour's drive from Quito, is Otavalo, the largest indigenous market in the world. To the south, about a hundred kilometers away, you can visit Latacunga and the Cotopaxi National Park, with the very high volcano of the same name. Further south the cities of Ambato and Baños are worth a visit, with the spectacular view of the Tungurahua volcano, which can be climbed to the top. Especially Baños is real fun place to visit due to countless of sports and adenaline activities.