In relationships of solidarity and mutuality, our teams work alongside their medical counterparts in Bolivia and Paraguay to:

1. Advance training in specific surgical skills and techniques,

2. Better understand and progressively fill equipment and supply needs, and

3. Provide access to reduced cost surgeries via mentored surgeries and agreements with hospitals, physicians, and suppliers.

Short-term medical and support teams may include surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical technicians, nurses, clinicians, supply coordinators, interpreters, chaplains, photographers and helpers. Spanish fluency is not required. Are you ready to join us?

Upcoming Trips

Host Countries

A culturally rich country, BOLIVIA has one of the highest poverty rates in the hemisphere, with direct consequences on the health of the population. With an annual per capita income of less than US $6,500, healthcare resources are scarce. Nevertheless, the country has made great strides in recent years to expand services particularly in primary care. But surgery to treat even common operable conditions remains inaccessible for the vast majority of the population. Solidarity Bridge and our partner organization Puente de Solidaridad focus on building and reinforcing local capacity to help fill that need.

Located at the heart of South America, PARAGUAY is a landlocked country of 7.3 million people, with the vast majority (3.45 million) living in the capital city of Asuncion. The national health system maintains approximately 11 doctors for every 10,000 people and less than 30 licensed neurosurgeons serving the entire country. By building capacity and expertise, The Neurosurgery and Neurology Institute of Solidarity Bridge with our partners at Caritas, the Paraguayan Neurosurgical Society, Universidad Católica and the Hospital Nacional de Itaguá is committed to alleviating the suffering, death and disability from neurological disorders and injuries disproportionately impacting patients in Paraguay.

Each year, six or seven medical teams travel to Bolivia and Paraguay. These trips are the backbone of our training and equipping work, and each trip is focused on one of our surgical specialties. 

Trips to Bolivia are associated with our four year-round surgical programs in General Surgery, Gynecologic Surgery, Heart Surgery, and Neurosurgery. Additionally, our annual Multi-Specialty Medical Team (MSMT) provides clinical services in a variety of specialties as well as general and gynecologic surgeries. 

Our Paraguay trips focus on collaborative efforts to advance neurological and neurosurgical care in the country. We operate side-by-side with our Paraguayan partners strengthening neurosurgical subspecialties that are not yet readily available to Paraguayan patients. 

These trips are also an opportunity to hand-carry high priority neurosurgical supplies and equipment that our medical partners can use long after we return home.

Meet Our Missioners

As an organization rooted in solidarity, relationships developed on mission are key to our work. We are proud that many of our missioners return year after year. Mission teams may include surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical technicians, nurses, clinicians, interpreters, chaplains, photographers, and helpers. Some of our milestone missioners are profiled below.