16 January, 2014
Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) endeavors to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations living in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Peru. A major focus of this endeavor is to provide quality health services, in order to improve the condition of public health of those affected by extreme poverty, disease and hunger.
Since the inception of the humanitarian organization, BRA has recognized the importance of medical missions, through which medical students and healthcare providers alike (from the US and abroad) dedicate their time, working relentlessly, to provide quality health consultations to marginalized communities that often go without such health interventions. Over the past 16 years, BRA has organized dozens of medical missions: general medicine operatives, optometry operatives, dental operatives, cardiovascular operatives, etc. in impoverished rural villages, batey communities, urban slums, and border regions.
This month (January 19 through 25, 2014), BRA will facilitate a dental operative in Lima, Peru. The President of the Batey Relief Alliance Board of Directors, Dr. Thomas Beague, is a licensed dentist leading a dental team that will provide urgent dental care, including dental examinations, cleanings, and tooth extractions to an anticipated 240 to 300 patients. In addition, Beague will set out to access the dentistry needs in the district, which will allow BRA to better strategize on how to meet the health needs of the vulnerable populations in Lima and organized appropriate health interventions to improve public health conditions.
This dental mission will coincide with the launch of BRA’s Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action: Improving Malnutrition and Maternal Health in Lima. With the mission and the launch of BRA’s newest program in Peru (which will address nutrition and child-maternal health issues), BRA will establish its presence in the region, continue strengthening ties with local organization and Peruvian government, and initiate its long-term commitment to improve the quality of life of the Peruvian people.
