LAS VEGAS — Erica Stockwell and Nithya Gopal, doctors at Women’s Specialty Care, a specialty of WellHealth Medical Group, traveled to Cartagena, Columbia on Feb. 20 to teach the community the importance of sex education and proper prenatal care.

The three-day mission began with sex education classes for middle school students of Colegio Dios Es Amor. In addition to learning about sexual health and diseases, students were able to have their questions answered regarding puberty and the physical changes that coincide with maturation.

“Each opportunity we have to provide the next generation with resources and education on safe sex and proper prenatal care, the more we see healthy adults with longer lifespans,” said Stockwell. “This is especially true in underserved countries, where medical care for easily avoidable chronic diseases and infections may not be affordable, or even available at all.”

The remaining two days were dedicated to teaching proper prenatal and infant care for mothers in the Villas de Aranjuez and Bicentennial areas, and training community officials life-saving breast and cervical cancer preventative screenings.

“Women’s healthcare and reproductive rights are two issues very near to my heart,” said Gopal. “Every woman needs to have access to proper prenatal care to ensure not only a healthy pregnancy, but a healthy child. If a community is unable to provide for its female citizens, then it is the duty of medical missionaries to educate health officials and give them the proper tools and equipment to provide that care.”

Stockwell and Gopal provided prenatal care for many women during the mission, including one woman nearing the end of her second trimester who had been unable to seek proper prenatal care due to a lack of domestic and financial support. She was diagnosed as anemic and underweight during the assessment but was counseled on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy through delivery and beyond.  

Medical missions of this nature are critical to improving women’s health worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 830 women die annually from preventable complications during pregnancy and child birth, with 99 percent of cases occurring in developing countries.

For this reason, Stockwell and Gopal are planning additional medical missions to increase healthcare access for women worldwide, while also providing the highest level of care using state-of-the-art technology for their patients in Southern Nevada.

About WellHealth Medical Group: WellHealth Medical Group offers patients an inspired new approach to healthcare. We not only care for you, we care about you. We’ve created an integrated network of the area’s most talented and compassionate doctors, nurses, and medical specialists in order to deliver the highest level of care possible. By working together, adhering to the highest medical standards, and utilizing the most advanced technology, our expert teams are providing the residents of Southern Nevada with the quality healthcare experience they’ve always been looking for.