According to a different publication during the same timeframe, the situation is “going from bad to worse.” This is in stark contrast to the private healthcare available in the major cities, where 33,400 “medical tourists” were treated last year. Our role is to provide care to those who are unable to access care due to distance and poorly equipped heath centers in the most rural part of the region.
Inaugural trips are always fantastic! IMR works closely with highly experienced local hosts and our host in Borneo is exceptional. We will work in 5 different communities this week and will get an actual overview of the health of the community as a whole. Each night we will sleep in the “long house” - the community meeting area - so don’t forget your sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and free-standing mosquito net.
You will truly live in the communities we will be serving in and will be able to see a lot of village life. Women who are skilled in the use of local plants and herbs will provide an evening talk during the week and if you look closely, you’ll see curious eyes peering around the corner. Do those eyes belong to curious village children or ??. Don’t worry, either way, it will be the experience of a lifetime! We have some amazing things planned for you!
This trip is about community. You will be in the heart of small village life in the middle of the remote jungle. We will see families on this trip - not just the insular family but the big extended families that form the heart of Borneo.
The patients you will see will have conditions ranging from rashes to joint pain, lymphatic filariasis to leptospirosis, schistosomiasis to GERD. Burns are common from the open cooking fires and serious wounds are normal occurrences in clinic each day. Excruciating dental pain is common as are eye problems including cataracts, ptergyia and infections. We will see many pregnant women and the children will capture your hearts. Working in the villages is very special and our patients will celebrate your visit as the great event that it is.
The Ministry of Health and local providers will support us while we are in Borneo. You will have the opportunity to partner with young physicians who value providing service to patients for whom medical care is not accessible. Our translators will be top tier and service oriented. You will find that Borneo wants your help - please join IMR in providing our patients with skilled and compassionate care.
This is trip set apart by the cultural experiences you will have in Borneo. Staying in the communities is unforgettable - there’s a little adventure in your future while you have the chance to see how your patients live! Don’t worry - IMR will be there every step of the way to ensure you have everything you need to make this a great experience! Transportation will be a bit varied - think vans, 4x4s, and boats - but always handled by professionals, highly experienced in working in the jungle.
The families in the communities you serve are the highlight of this trip and you will have many cultural experiences to talk about when you get home. Working with some fine young healthcare workers is the heart of sustainability and you will love working with some of the up and coming healthcare workers of Borneo. Be The Good!!
You will also join your team members on a visit to a beautiful orangutan preserve - get ready to have some fun! You’ll have some great photo ops (and maybe a selfie?!) while learning about these endangered animals and getting in a bit of hiking at the same time. This will certainly be another highlight of your trip!
You’re venturing around the globe, have you considered extending your stay a few additional days to visit some of Borneo’s top spots? Join IMR on an exclusive three-day extension where you will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to venture deep into one of the world’s oldest rainforests! Borneo is the only place in the world where you can find the wild orangutans living freely!
