Healing Hands Helps Fund a Trip to Nicaragua for Natural Doctors International

The matching contribution donation from doTERRA helped fund one of many trips made to Nicaragua by NDI. Much of the organization’s work has taken place on the island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. Because Ometepe is so remote, most of the people have very limited access to healthcare—leaving them vulnerable to viruses and infections. NDI has established an integrative health clinic on the island to help people get access to healthcare, medicine, and supplies.

 

The people of Ometepe struggle with a variety of health issues, and programs like those of NDI allow them to get the care they desperately need. One in every five children in Nicaragua suffer from chronic malnutrition, and 10% of children under five are underweight, with 20% struggling with stunted growth.¹

 

Malnutrition often leaves individuals more susceptible to viruses and attacks to the immune system. Malnutrition is the primary cause of immunodeficiency worldwide, with infants, children, teens, and the elderly among the most affected. Because of the tendency to have a weakened immune system when malnourished, there is a strong connection between malnutrition and viruses or infections. Five infectious diseases account for more than one half of deaths in children ages five and under—pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and AIDS.²

 

Along with malnutrition, the people of Nicaragua struggle with high pregnancy rates, lack of effective water and sanitation services, and limited access to basic medications. Natural Doctors International strives to provide proper healthcare through short and long term health programs and community enhancement projects. With the help of volunteers, NDI provides health services for Nicaraguans who truly need them. To learn more, visit the Natural Doctors International website.