User:Zephyrus Tavvier/sandbox



Partners In Health (PIH) is a Boston, Massachusetts-based non-profit health care organization founded in 1987 by Dr. Paul Farmer, Ophelia Dahl, Thomas J. White, Todd McCormack, and Dr. Jim Yong Kim.

The goals of the organization are "to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need of them and to serve as an antidote to despair." PIH has innovated alternative methods to the conventional curative method of treatment for the sick and preventing diseases before they occur.

Since its founding, International Medical Corps has delivered $1.4 billion worth of assistance to millions of people in 70 countries around the world.

History
The idea for Partners In Health first began when Paul Farmer and Ophelia Dahl helped set up a community-based health project in Cange, Haiti known as Zanmi Lasante ("Partners in Health"). For a number of years the organization focused its efforts almost exclusively on treating HIV/AIDS patients in rural Haiti. In the past decade, the organization's mission has expanded to include a more holistic approach to tackling disease and poverty. PIH devotes considerable resources to providing food, water, education and housing to sick patients. The organization also advocates for human rights both at the governmental and international NGO level.

In 1993, Dr. Farmer founded the Institute for Health and Social Justice (IHSJ), which is the research and advocacy arm of PIH. The IHSJ was founded using the proceeds of Dr. Farmer's John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Award. The mission of the IHSJ is to analyze the impact of poverty and inequality on health, and to use these findings to educate and train students, academics, donors, policy makers, and lay people. As of 2006, the IHSJ is under the direction of Dr. Joia Mukherjee, PIH's Chief Medical Officer.

The organization became a household name after author Tracy Kidder won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize with his book Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World. The book detailed Dr. Farmers life and his work with PIH in Haiti and around the world. The title comes from a simplified translation of the Haitian phrase, deye mon, gen mon.

Mission and Approach
Founded in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization that works to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in under served communities worldwide.

International Medical Corps provides lifesaving relief while building self-reliance through programs that focus on education and training. Approximately 96% of its field-based staff and health professionals are recruited from the local community, helping ensure that the skills stay within the area long after the program has ended.

The emphasis on capacity building through education and training is central to all International Medical Corps programs. Its central program priorities include: emergency response; health capacity building; women’s and children’s health and wellbeing; mental health; and clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. In addition to these priorities, International Medical Corps also runs programs providing nutrition services, economic and agricultural livelihoods support, and prevention, testing, and care for communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

International Medical Corps is also a founding member of the ONE campaign and part of the Clinton Global Initiative. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar goes directly to its field programs – one of the highest fundraising efficiencies in the industry – and International Medical Corps is an A+ rated charity by the American Institute of Philanthropy and a BBB accredited charity.

In 2002 International Medical Corps UK was founded to create the global International Medical Corps partnership, designed to maximise the resources and expertise available to our staff on the ground. International Medical Corps UK is responsible for managing European and UN funded programmes as well as providing technical advice, recruitment, raising awareness, and contributing to UK & European policy development.

Current operations
Today, International Medical works in some 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing relief to populations facing war, conflict, natural disaster, famine, and poverty while also laying the foundation for sustainable development. Its programs are funded from both public and private sources, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), The United Nations, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and AmeriCares.

International Medical Corps is based in Los Angeles with other offices in Washington, DC, London, and Split, Croatia. They currently employ 4,500 employees and thousands of volunteers in some 30 countries.

Responding to Emergencies
Haiti Earthquake: Just 22 hours after the earthquake hit, International Medical Corps was on the ground in Port-au-Prince providing emergency medical care. They are still there offering medical care, training local health workers and building capacity to help the Haitian people return to self-reliance.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: International Medical Corps was on the ground within 48 hours of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011, and has been supporting local partners to deliver critical humanitarian services ever since. While Japan has significant capacity to manage emergencies, the magnitude of the disaster - coupled with the threat of radiation exposure - was large enough to warrant international assistance. From building playgrounds to supporting day care workers and implementing disaster risk reduction programs, International Medical Corps has partenred with local and national organizations to ensure that relief and recovery needs of Japanese children, families and the elderly are being met.

Partner Projects
PIH also supports partner projects in the following countries:
 * Africa: Project Muso in Mali; Tiyatien Health in Liberia
 * Asia: Nyaya Health in Nepal