Medical Center

Increasing the Quality of Life

The people living in the remote village of Marampaqui, like many Andean people, suffer heavily from poverty. They have limited access to healthcare and education. This severely limited fundamental care impacts their quality of life. For this reason, we built the medical center in 2016, in close cooperation with the Rotary Club Aarau, and have been operating it regularly since its founding.

The medical center is located in Marampaqui (region Ocongate) at 4,100 m.a.s.l. and about 80km from Cusco (a 2 ½ hour drive). We utilize radio announcements to inform the local community of outreach opportunities with available doctors.
Location Marampaqui  Location Marampaqui

The Medical Center includes rooms for triaging and administration of patients, dental treatments, general medicine, laboratory work, and a pharmacy. During each visit, a dentist will do between 15 to 20 treatments, per day. A large percentage of treatments are performed by the general doctor.

Patients that cannot afford treatments are also given the option to participate in our community projects to work off the expense of the treat. Thus, patients pay for their treatments while contributing to the community interest.

Further information on our current successfully implemented pilot project "Dental Capacity Building: Partial and Total Dentures for the Population of Marampaqui".

Our dentist Dr. Flor Salvador is taking care of a young patient in the medical center in Peru

Oral Health (Dentist)

In developing nations, dental care is often unaffordable. We conduct free dental clinics to address untreated tooth decay and problems caused by lack of oral hygiene. We work in the community to teach oral health promotion and prevention. Toothbrushes and -paste are considered luxury items and we provide them for free.

Dr. Davis Carrión is talking to a patient with translator Jhoni on the right side

General Medicine

We deal with patients’ medical conditions that do not require surgical procedures. Common conditions in this area include arthritis, anemia, intestinal infections, respiratory infections, and more. The primary role of our physician is to diagnose, treat the symptoms or the cause and accompany patients on the road to recovery.

Biologist Wendy Lucana in the laboratory of the medical center

Laboratory

We own a medical lab in our health center. Our microbiologist is responsible for independently applying advanced technical skills and knowledge to analyze clinical specimens and data to assist diagnosis and treatment. By using our microscope and centrifuge, we can perform numerous examinations directly on site.

Our nurse is handing out the prescribed medicines to a patient

Pharmacy

Medications are critical health interventions and, when used appropriately, improve health outcomes. In coordination with the medical doctor and the dentist, we provide medication related to the most common infirmities. Medication is offered at no cost to the patients since they are unaffordable for the local population served.

Our nurse is registering a patient with the help of a local translator

Triage

We create or update patients’ records including personal data, chief complaint, weight, height and blood pressure. We prioritize the treatment according to the patient's clinical condition and vulnerable groups. We have local translators available to facilitate the communication between the patients and the doctors.

Plenty of patients are waiting to be treated in the medical center in Peru

Waiting Room

Our waiting room provide shelter to patients as they await treatment. However, on the busiest of outreach days we find the needs of the community exceed the capacity of our current waiting room. Unfortunately, it happens again and again that we cannot treat all those present and they have to wait until our next assignment at the medical center.

Testimonials

"I had the opportunity to volunteer at Con Corazón. I worked alongside Dr. Saulo and his team. The clinics provided services performed by qualified staff and volunteers. Although I had no dental background, I was able to assist the dentists with tooth extractions, cleanings, and fillings."

Moriah Steffens

Moriah Steffens

Volunteer

“Saulo and his colleagues were incredibly friendly and generous with their time. We’ve formed friendships that will outlast our stay. Staying in Cusco for a month also gave us the opportunity to really get under the skin of the city, and understand better the Peruvian way of life and traditions.”

Paul Emery

Paul Emery

Volunteer

"The Andes are my birthplace and I feel deeply connected to this region. To have the opportunity to support the people there in a direct way and without detours is something great. Knowing that donations are going to the right place, to the right people, is what I thank and trust Con Corazón for."

Anna Alberti

Anna Alberti

Donor & Visitor

"Con Corazón uses a sustainable model providing subsidized quality dental care to lower income populations. The highlight was being able to work in Marampaqui. These patients have minimal access to dental care, and it was amazing to be able to provide care in such a remote location."

Dr. Ujval Gummi

Dr. Ujval Gummi

Volunteer

“We felt we wanted to give back! As part of our six-month sabbatical we thought Cusco is the perfect place to pause and give some time helping through Con Corazón. We have been mainly assisting the work of the dental clinic. It’s clear this NGO is having a big positive impact within the region.”

Amélie Prot

Amélie Prot

Volunteer

"I support Con Corazón because Danièle's involvement has convinced me, from the beginning, that the help arrives directly, without any detours. What is also fascinating to me is the constant further development and the focus on the long-term perspective. The highlight was the visit in 2019."

Cordula Sonderegger

Cordula Sonderegger

Donor & Visitor

"What I remember most about my involvement was working with the people in the remote Andean region, where the organization provides valuable support. The unique insight into the culture and way of life of those people is definitely one of the most beautiful and memorable of my stay."

Livia Hollenstein

Livia Hollenstein

Volunteer

"Over the years, the Rotary Club of Aarau has been able to generate various projects together with Con Corazón. One of the highlights was certainly the construction of the Medical Center at over 4,000 meters above sea level. The cooperation is always very sustainable, efficient and professional."

Martin Bachmann

Martin Bachmann

Rotary Club Aarau

"In August 2019 finally I had the opportunity to go to the Andes in South America. There I had finished one month of volunteering at the dental clinic in Cusco, Peru. I really enjoyed helping poor people through making dental cleanings for the patients. What an incredible team to work with!"

Mette Højborg

Mette Højborg

Volunteer

"I have been following Con Corazón for years, so a visit to Peru was logical and very precious for me. It was extremely impressive to enter into this unknown world and to capture it photographically. As a professional photographer, I still enjoy the impressive images from the Andean region."

Hana Solenthaler

Hana Solenthaler

Donor & Visitor

"Wow, what an impressive landscape at over 4,000 m.a.s.l., what a beautiful place in the Andes, what unbelievable warm-hearted people! Immediately there was another wow, there is a lot to do for me in the next four months! Marampaqui became a second home for me".

Moritz Mitterer

Moritz Mitterer

Volunteer

"'The only thing that can eliminate poverty is to share with each other. ' Mother Teresa's quote points out how important Con Corazón's mission is to fight poverty in the long term and to give people a perspective. I am very grateful that I was able to visit the organization in Peru."

Anna Alberti

Anna Alberti

Donor & Visitor

"Volunteering to work alongside Dr. Saulo and his incredible team at Con Corazón has been a highlight in my nursing career. Having the opportunity to serve and provide the people of Marampaqui with free medical & dental services in these remote villages was an absolute rewarding experience. "

Yesenia Rivera

Yesenia Rivera

Volunteer

"The aim of my sabbatical was not just to travel, but to really get to know a country, its people, its culture and its language. Being a teacher for health education, it was amazing to see how health promotion can be realized in different Con Corazón projects - with a lot of passion and with heart!"

Michaela Graf

Michaela Graf

Volunteer

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