Spring ‘23
WEEK OF ACTION
HEALTHCARE INEQUALITY IN PERU
This semester DPE is partnered with Albergue Inspira for our Week of Action!
Albergue Inspira is an NGO based in Lima, Peru fighting against Global Health Inequality.
In Peru, nearly 1800 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year, however, up to 70% will have a late stage, often metastatic due to delays in diagnosis.
Almost 20% of patients abandon treatment due to lack of financial resources
44% of the rural population in Peru are living in poverty and lack access to basic healthcare facilities.
Urban and Rural areas don't have equal access to healthcare. On average 1.12 physicians per 1000 people, which is well below the rate of 2.3 per 1000 recommended by the WHO.
Due to these barriers to healthcare that Peruvians face many children do not have access to treatment. They find themselves forced to migrate to Lima where in most cases they have no place to stay: They find themselves having to experience homelessness while battling a terminal illness.
In 2008, Dr. Ricardo Pun identified this issue and created “Albergue Inspira” a shelter, providing kids with a place to stay in Lima, while receiving their treatment. Since the opening of his shelter they have provided housing for over 2,600 long-term stays and over 73,000 short-term stays, over 367,400 meals and in 2018, Dr. Pun even received the 2018 CNN Hero of the Year Award.
Currently, Dr. Pun is working on building an even larger and more modern shelter. The previous shelter was a repurposed home, but now he is building a shelter with rooms to house thousands of children.
DPE for Albergue Inspira
Week of Action Panel: Global Health Equity
This panel brought together experts on Global Health Inequality with diverse backgrounds and professions. The goal of this pannel was to raise awareness about healthcare disparities on an international level, aiming to understand the different barriers towards healthcare and how they can be address by different stakeholders.
These were our panelists:
Dr. Ricardo Pun (Founder of Albergue Inspira, CNN Hero of the Year): Shared his perspective on health equity in Latin America, Albergue Inspira’s work, how Peru’s story fits into the global health equity crisis as a whole.
Enrique M. Saldarriaga, PhD MS (PhD MS, Health Economist): Shared about the economics of access to healthcare, healthcare in Latin America, creation and access to healthcare services.
Dr. Vineeta Gupta (Global Health Equity Advocate, currently National Director, NPHL): Spoke about the human rights perspective of access to healthcare, youth health equity, experience at NPHL and insight on the healthcare advocacy space.
Amb. Jimmy Kolker (US Dept. of State Ambassador and Senior Advisor on Global Health, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant director at UNICEF): Gave insight into the challenges to health access in the US and abroad, US efforts in improving health equity abroad and the role of IGOs (like UNICEF) in the fight for health equality.
Fundraising: Week of Action Tabling, Fundconcert, & Raffle
Through tabling, hosting a concert fundraiser, organizing a raffle, and raising awareness on campus during our Week of Action, we raised $5,000 for Albergue Inpsira. The money we raised was enough to fund the construction and furnishing of an entire new room in Albergue Inspra’s new shelter.