what kind of insurance would be good for you if going to a trip for while?  

I think a group travel insurance could be fine. Some travel companies offer this and it would be a lot cheaper.

When I travelled to South America I took a general travel insurance from ADAC, Germany's club of car drivers. They asked for about 70€ for 1 year and they covered the risk of health and transport to bring me home in case of emergency. But when I needed a doctor they first check out if the normal public health insurance wouldn't have to pay for it.
More important to me was, when travelling in Amazonia, to bring tablets for Malaria. They made my blood thin enough for the Anopheles moscito not to infect me. But on the other hand normal wounds healed very very slowly.

Maybe the people at her job in South America will know what is best in her case. When I travel, I take a medical insurance along with the kind that pays you is you llose your bags. But that can be done in your travel agency and it´s just for a few days. If she wants to be insured all the time she has her job, the ones to know are the people who are hiring her. I´m sure they will be most helpful. We, southamericans, are

For my trip to South Africa I got travel insurance that would have covered me in they case of airline failure. At the moment some airlines are ceasing trading so I wanted my money to be safe. I also made sure that my son and I had excellent medical coverage just in case. I found the travel insurance by doing an Internet search. For a long trip backpacker cover can be great and fairly economical. I hope that your friend will have an excellent time in South America.