A seven-person San Francisco Fire Department medical team is taking part in a week-long mission to provide free health care for thousands of people living in El Salvador.
Alongside 70 volunteers and leaders of the Castañeda Kids Foundation, San Francisco Emergency Medical technician Carlos Martinez is leading a group of local medical professionals to offer assistance to the Central American nation’s neediest residents.
The foundation, which aims to provide nutrition, education, health care and physical fitness to El Salvador residents, has a goal of treating 3,000 patients over the course of five days this week.
Prior to the San Francisco team’s departure this past Sunday, foundation contacts conducted outreach to villagers about the medical care that is available. Buses pick up patients from their homes and meeting points to transport them to the clinic location, where they can be seen, treated and prescribed medication.
The clinic also provides preventative educational courses on hygiene, hypertension, diabetes and other health topics that are relevant to the community’s health concerns.
The San Francisco medical team will be in El Salvador through Feb. 26. and plans to post updates on the department’s Facebook page.