A health professional provides care during free medical services in Puerto Cabezas (Bilwi), northeastern Nicaragua, on April 11, 2026. Staff and volunteers from the Nicaragua Adventist Hospital assisted in serving more than 5,000 people that day as part of Total Health Impact activities across the country. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Adventist Church-led initiative mobilizes communities, expands outreach, and promotes lasting healthy lifestyles

April 29, 2026 | Managua, Nicaragua | Kimberly Solís and Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

More than 20,000 people benefited from a large-scale health impact across Seventh-day Adventist churches, community centers, and parks throughout Nicaragua from April 5–12. The weeklong initiative included health expos, medical consultations, and blood drives, engaging members of all ages in hundreds of communities.

The initiative was part of Total Health Impact, a coordinated effort across the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) that launched in Central America this year, mobilizing health professionals and church members to promote healthy lifestyles through community outreach.

Community members in Bilwi, Puerto Cabezas, receive medical care during a health outreach at the Porteño Adventist School, where services were provided by the Nicaragua Adventist Hospital. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]

The large-scale outreach was coordinated with evangelistic efforts across Nicaragua, helping strengthen more than 100 centers of influence where individuals first reached through health activities could continue engaging through ongoing programs and spiritual outreach.

Franck Généus, M.D., health ministries director of the IAD and lead organizer of the Total Health Movement initiative, described the impact in Nicaragua as significant. He was joined by a team from the Health-Promoting University program at Montemorelos University—part of the leadership supporting the church’s “I Want to Live Healthy” initiative—and took part in activities in Puerto Cabezas, where more than 5,000 people were reached in one day on Apr. 11.

Franck Géneus, M.D., health ministries director of the Inter-American Division, speaks during a health outreach in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, on April 11, 2026, while church leaders stand behind him. More than 5,000 people were served during the outreach. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Hundreds received free medical checkups and consultations during the large-scale outreach led by medical staff and leaders of the Nicaragua Adventist Hospital in the northeastern region of the country.

Church-wide Effort Strengthens Community Service

Généus said the initiative centers on service as a core expression of the church’s mission, reflecting a broader understanding of health ministry.

“This initiative unites members, departments, and institutions—and that is exactly what we saw.”

Pathfinder volunteers take part in a toy distribution in Bilwi, Puerto Cabezas, where 1,500 toys were presented to children and adolescents through a collaborative outreach led by youth, family, women’s, and health ministries. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
“The Total Health Impact focuses on the service component of the Total Health Movement—practice, share, and serve,” he said.

Health ministry is not just for healthcare professionals, but for every church member, explained Généus. “We are talking about wholistic health, addressing not only physical needs but all dimensions of well-being.”  Dr. Généus along with church leaders visited radio stations that carried the impact throughout the week nationally.

Local church leaders reported more than 170,000 were reached through digital platforms, expanding the message of healthy living across the country.

Left to Right: From left to right: Roy Forbes, Adventist Radio director in Puerto Cabezas; Adriel Vega, operational coordinator of the Health-Promoting University program at Montemorelos University; Héctor Alvarado, Nicaragua Union treasurer; and Franck Géneus, M.D., IAD health ministries director, share about the Total Health Movement in a recording studio, broadcasting in Spanish, English, and Miskito. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Elieta Maltez, health ministries director for the Nicaragua Union, said the initiative extended beyond a single week.

“The Total Health Impact in Nicaragua was not just a week—it was a demonstration of love in action,” she said. “Through health fairs, medical brigades, seminars, school presentations, blood drives, and community outreach, thousands were impacted and communities were blessed.”

Socorro María Úbeda, M.D., (center), administrator of Nicaragua Adventist Hospital, speaks with leaders during a community outreach in Puerto Cabezas led by the church and the Nicaragua Adventist Hospital. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Education Initiatives Engage Students and Families

Education played a key role in the Total Health Impact, reaching more than 1,600 students and parents in Adventist schools across Nicaragua—many of whom are not members of the church.

In Matagalpa, the Adventist Private School organized a health fair centered on the eight natural remedies, where students led presentations and shared practical lessons on healthy living with their families.

“We organized a health fair where students explained the importance of each natural remedy,” said María Mercedes Cardoza, school administrator. “The goal was to help families understand how to care for their health and apply these principles at home.”

Adriel Vega, operational coordinator of the Health-Promoting University program at Montemorelos University, shares guidance on healthy habits at the Adventist Private School in Matagalpa, where about 300 people, including students and parents, attended. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Parents noted the immediate value of the initiative.

“It was very meaningful for both children and adults,” said one participating mother. “We learned how to prevent diseases and improve our habits at home.”

Leaders emphasized that the initiative extends beyond a single week of activities. “We want to emphasize that this work is not limited to one week,” said Dr. David Caldera, health ministries director for Central Nicaragua Conference. “It continues in our churches through ongoing, community-focused programs that address both spiritual and physical needs and promote better quality of life.”

[Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Nationwide Efforts Expand Reach and Impact

The movement took place in connection with World Health Day and brought together churches, educational institutions, centers of influence, volunteers, and health professionals in a coordinated effort focused on prevention, education, and community service. Activities also included educational talks, community walks, and the distribution healthy meals throughout the week.

More than 10,000 meals were distributed across over 100 churches and centers of influence between April 6–17, alongside health education on nutrition, disease prevention, and mental health, as well as blood drives coordinated with local institutions.

A Pathfinder in uniform donates blood during a community outreach initiative that mobilized hundreds of members—young and old—to participate in blood drives across Nicaragua. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
Teams of health professionals, leaders, and church members also traveled across the country’s three conference regions, supporting and participating in Total Health Impact activities.

“During this visit across Nicaragua, we have seen an overwhelming response from parents and students,” said Adriel Vega, operational coordinator of the Health-Promoting University program at Montemorelos University. “This demonstrates the real impact being achieved in communities.”

Focus on Long-Term Health and Community Transformation

Leaders said Total Health Impact is part of a broader strategy to promote lasting lifestyle changes through prevention, education, and healthy habits, including virtual initiatives, community outreach, and targeted efforts for children, youth, and vulnerable families—adding that its true impact will be measured in long-term behavior change and the transformation of communities through sustained service.

A display of healthy food is showcased during a nutrition seminar held at a local restaurant, where restaurant staff partnered with a church district to teach principles of a healthy diet. [Photo: Nicaragua Union]
“This is a turning point for health ministries in the region,” Dr. Généus said. “We are seeing renewed engagement and a clear opportunity to strengthen the church’s role in serving communities in meaningful and lasting ways.”

Across Central America, Seventh-day Adventists in Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala also reached thousands during the region-wide week of health outreach last month.