U of C medical students travel on missionary trip to Cuba

University of Chicago medical students travel on missionary trip to Cuba

May 22, 2002

WHO

Eleven first-year University of Chicago medical students who are members of the REMEDY Medical Aid Mission, a student organization concerned with international health issues. (An infectious disease specialist from Springfield, Ill., will accompany the group).

U of C students include: Afshan Ahmad, Renaisa Anthony, Patrick Barrett, Gmerice Hammond, Rohini Jonnalagadda, Allegra Lobell, Kathryn Ossowski, Shiraz Maskatia, Cory Schulte, Michael Sweeney and Dan Virnich. Dr. Donald Graham will serve as advisor.

WHAT

Bringing $70,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment, everything from aspirin and syringes to cancer chemotherapy drugs--donated from area healthcare companies.

WHERE

Havana, Cuba

WHEN

June 9-18, 2002

WHY

For the third year in a row, first-year U of C medical students have traveled to Cuba bringing with them donations of medical equipment and supplies--such as asthma and allergy medications, inhalers, epidural kits, needles, etc.--to help alleviate Cuba's shortage of healthcare.

Because of current embargoes, medical equipment cannot be shipped to Cuba without being accompanied by personnel. U of C students have raised funds, solicited donations, and arranged all logistics surrounding the trip. Once in Havana, the group will then travel to local hospitals and clinics disbursing the supplies.

In the past two years, 23 medical students from the University of Chicago and more than $130,000 of donations from companies and individuals have traveled to Cuba.

The students worked with the U.S.-Latin American Medical Aid Foundation to obtain government licenses for the export of donated supplies and pharmaceuticals to Cuba.