Bridging Continents Through Health and Education
A delegation from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), composed of academics from the Faculty of Medicine and professionals from UC CHRISTUS, carried out two international missions in Chad and Kenya aimed at strengthening partnerships and advancing health and education initiatives in Africa.
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Interdisciplinary Training in Kenya
Four academics from UC Chile’s Department of Health Sciences—Bernardita Severin (Occupational Therapy), Carolina Tirado and Ricardo Capos (Kinesiology), and Andrés Sánchez (Speech and Language Therapy)—visited Kenya for a two-week mission.
They worked at the Orione Kaburugi Community Training Center in Nairobi, offering workshops for rehabilitation professionals and conducting multidisciplinary interventions to improve children’s rehabilitation outcomes.
The team’s initiative, supported by Santander Open Academy and UC Chile’s Vice Presidency for International Affairs (VRAI), builds upon a 2023 project led by Ricardo Campos and Nicole Parentini that focused on pediatric rehabilitation. The new phase expanded collaboration across disciplines, enhancing holistic care practices.
“Their dedication has had a lasting impact on our center, empowering children with special needs and strengthening our team’s capacity,” the Orione Kaburugi Community Training Center shared on social media.
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Strengthening Healthcare in Chad
Meanwhile, another UC Chile and UC CHRISTUS team—comprising faculty, clinicians, and administrative staff from the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry—conducted a mission in Yamena, Chad, in partnership with The Good Samaritan University-Hospital Complex (CHU-BS).
Between March 24 and April 17, the team delivered training and healthcare services, including:
18 training sessions (31 hours total) for 744 participants
32 surgeries and 62 physical therapy sessions
144 dental services, 120 outpatient consultations, and 240 hospital visits
In total, 1,306 people directly benefited from the mission, including patients, health professionals, and students.
This initiative continues a long-term cooperative project launched in 2009, under which 18 missions have been carried out, involving over 70 professionals from both institutions.
“This South–South collaboration allows us to learn from each other and adapt to diverse, resource-limited contexts,” explained Dr. Santiago Besa, cardiovascular surgeon and project coordinator. “It’s a mutual exchange that strengthens both communities.”
Bárbara Raty, a UC CHRISTUS physical therapist, added that her experience in Chad focused on creating a new outpatient rehabilitation service and sharing clinical expertise with local teams.
“I’m constantly inspired by everyone’s eagerness to learn and improve despite the challenges,” she said.
Noskar Navarro, UC CHRISTUS nurse and head of professional development, emphasized the human dimension of the initiative:
“These missions allow us to form genuine partnerships that uplift both the visiting teams and the local communities.”
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A Commitment to Global Engagement
The missions to Chad and Kenya reflect UC Chile’s broader commitment to international cooperation, public health, and education for development, key components of its Public Commitment strategic axis.
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Media Contacts:
Sebastián Bustamante and Constanza Muñoz
Communications Coordinator – Faculty of Medicine, UC Chile
Editor – Visión Universitaria
Source: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile – Faculty of Medicine Newsroom
Credits: Original article by UC Chile Communications Office, published October 6, 2025.
Published: October 6, 2025
Source: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) – Faculty of Medicine Communications
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