Antigua, Guatemala

A surgical mission destination since 2001, Antigua is our oldest and largest mission. The team travels to Hermano Pedro Hospital in late January each year for two weeks.

Antigua, a World Heritage Site, is one of the oldest Spanish settled cities in central America. It has quite a mix of local Guatemalans as well as significant tourist activity. It is surrounded by several active volcanoes yielding a spectacular setting. It has a large hospital with 8 operating rooms.

Our surgical offering is set once the professional make-up of the team is established, usually in late fall of the previous year. In a typical year, surgical specialties include gynaecology, general surgery and ear, nose and throat (ENT). We also offer a Hearing Clinic at the hospital and services include hearing testing and the fitting and programming of hearing aids.

General Surgery

Many Guatemalans work in agriculture or other physical labour and hernias are a common condition. A hernia repair can get a patient back to work and providing for their family.

Gynecology Surgery

It is challenging for indigenous Guatemalan women to access gynecology health services. Our team provides essential surgeries that end years of discomfort and help women return to their normal activities of daily living.

ENT Surgery and Hearing Clinic

As this is not a service typically offered by volunteer teams, we see many of the same patients over the years. Children who suffer from hearing loss are unable to attend school and often experience social challenges and our team is committed to helping them achieve the best hearing possible so that they can integrate more fully into their communities. Surgeries include tonsillectomies (in children over age 2), adenoidectomies, septoplasties, and other procedures.

2023 Antigua, Guatemala Mission

Making a Positive Impact in Antigua

Our dedicated medical team worked tirelessly to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. We are happy to report that our mission was a success, with 130 individuals receiving the surgery and medical care they needed. In addition, our hearing clinic was able to provide 83 individuals with access to hearing aids. We are grateful for the support of our donors and volunteers who made this mission possible.

Next Mission: January 26 to February 10, 2024
Application Deadline: September 15, 2023

Join us

Medicos team arrives in Antigua with supplies.

Medicos team organizes the medical supplies that were brought from Canada.

Patients are triaged and examined by medicos doctors.

Patients are examined by medicos doctors.

Medicos team works with local medical professionals to perform surgery on patients.

Medicos team members provide post-operative support to patients.

What is an average day like?

The average day begins with an early morning start with 4 to 5 surgeries scheduled for the day. Surgeries are typically finished by 4 pm, after which, there is typically some down time where participants can explore the local area and visit nearby restaurants.

Guatemala Mission Newsletters

Our Guatemala Mission Newsletter is dedicated to providing up-to-date information about our surgery and medical care projects in Antigua. In it, you can find travel planning tips and key information for volunteers, and updates on our hospital and medical facilities in Antigua. See our most recent newsletters below or click the past newsletters button to view more.