With an army of volunteer pilots and healthcare professionals, this organization has transformed schools into medical clinics and small hospitals into operating rooms—changing lives in places where healthcare once seemed out of reach.
In regions where reaching a specialist can take days of travel and represent an impossible expense, the Colombian Civil Air Patrol (PAC) offers real hope. Founded nearly 60 years ago by volunteer pilots, the PAC began bringing medical care to municipalities that only had first-level hospitals, where basic services were the only option.
Today, around 70 pilots and 300 volunteer healthcare professionals travel several times a year to carry out two-day medical and surgical brigades. During these missions, school classrooms are transformed into specialized medical offices, and small hospital facilities are adapted to perform surgeries.
Each brigade of the Colombian Civil Air Patrol (PAC) serves hundreds of patients, offering services such as optometry, pediatrics, dermatology, ultrasound exams, nutrition, gynecology, and general and ophthalmologic surgeries. They also provide contraception, early cancer detection, and the free distribution of medications and prescription eyeglasses.
All of this is made possible through close collaboration between the public sector—local governments, hospitals, and health authorities—and private-sector partners who contribute sponsorships, logistics, and donations.
Over the past decade, the PAC has served more than 180,000 people, conducted over 250,000 medical consultations, and performed more than 12,000 surgeries. In addition, it has delivered more than 85,000 medical treatments and 29,000 prescription eyeglasses—all without any financial compensation for its volunteers. Their reward is something else: the fulfillment of saving lives and improving the health of thousands who previously had no access to specialized medical care.
The Colombian Civil Air Patrol combines humanitarian aviation with medical volunteerism, creating a model that is unique in the region. With an average of 20 brigades per year, the organization benefits more than 15,700 people annually, performs over 500 surgeries, and delivers more than 16,000 specialized consultations, along with medications and prescription eyeglasses tailored to each patient.
With nearly six decades of history, the PAC continues to demonstrate that with determination and cooperation, healthcare can reach those who need it most. To learn more about their work and how to support it, visit www.patrullaaerea.org.
