International Medical Corps 2005 Annual Report Contents
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International Medical Corps 2005 Annual Report Contents 1. Annual Message 2. Mission Statement 3. Key Successes 4. Programmatic Priorities 6. IMC Around the World 12 - 18. Unprecedented Disaster, Unparalleled Response • South Asia Tsunami: A Response to Last a Lifetime • Hurricane Katrina: IMC Responds to Disaster in the US – for the First Time in its History • Pakistan Earthquake: Direct Relief for Those Most in Need • Conflict in Sudan: Relief for Displaced Communities • Ethiopia: A Nation’s Silent Crisis • Mental Health: Critical in Difficult Environments 20. The Global Humanitarian Community 21. Board of Directors 22. Financial Letter and Statements 25. Annual Support 32. How You Can Help On the cover: A mother brings her sick baby to the IMC clinic in Deliej, Sudan, resting in the shade as she waits to see a doctor. Winner of the 2006 Global Health Council Award for Photography. Annual Message Dear Friend of IMC, This past year brought an unprecedented wave of disasters, prompting an unparalleled response from International Medical Corps’ thousands of staff and volunteers. At the start of 2005, the world was still reeling from the catastrophic Indian Ocean tsunami. Nearly a quarter of a million people perished, while millions of others saw their livelihoods destroyed. Eight months later, whole communities along the Gulf Coast of the United States were wiped out by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Then came a massive earthquake in Pakistan just over one month later, killing 80,000 and leaving millions homeless. With each of these humanitarian crises, IMC was there – often one of the first on the scene – providing emergency health services, mental health care, shelter, food and water, and economic support. As always, IMC continued to focus on its mission of training, helping local populations to heal, get back on their feet, take charge of their lives, and rebuild their communities. Beyond the disasters that captured news headlines, there were also numerous emergencies in 2005 that went underreported. IMC responded to those as well – from relieving the suffering of populations displaced by conflict in Chad, Sudan, and Northern Uganda, to fighting famine in Ethiopia and Somalia. The need for International Medical Corps’ people and expertise proved enormous. It was certainly one of our most challenging years ever. However our foundation as a capacity-building organization in the world’s most difficult locations enabled us to respond quickly and effectively, and in the case of Hurricane Katrina for the first time in the U.S. In 2005, IMC’s work impacted 16 million people in 21 countries around the world; we implemented programs totaling more than $91 million, bringing lifesaving care and related training programs to thousands of communities worldwide. The principle upon which IMC was created in Afghanistan in 1984 remains the same today: humanitarian assistance that brings self-reliance. Of course, all of this would not be possible without the generous support of the many individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental and international donor agencies who recognize the power of IMC to reach millions of the world’s most at-risk people and help them restore their lives with dignity and hope. On behalf of those people, as well as IMC’s staff and volunteers, we express our deepest gratitude. Sincerely, Robert Simon, MD Nancy A. Aossey Founder and Chairman President and CEO 1 IMC’s Mission: From Relief to Self-Reliance International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance. 2 Key Successes In 2005, IMC’s work impacted 16 million people in 21 countries around the world. With generous support from our donors and partners, we implemented programs totaling more than $91 million. We responded within 24 hours to the Indian Ocean tsunami and the earthquake in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, and during the first days of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the U.S. IMC helped those affected communities begin rebuilding their lives and recovering their livelihoods. IMC relief teams also provided emergency aid to those affected by violent conflict, famine, and displacement the world over. Following are some of our key successes in 2005: • More than 3,475,000 medical consultations were conducted in over 550 fixed and mobile clinics • Over 200,000 malnourished mothers and children were provided with community-based nutrition services focused on long-term strategies for fighting famine and hunger • Hundreds of health care workers were trained to deliver mental health services to over 50,000 survivors of natural disasters and violent conflicts, enabling them to better cope with grief, trauma, and acute mental illness - and to more quickly heal their wounds and rebuild their lives • Health education on HIV/AIDS, malaria, epidemic preparedness, and hygiene promotion reached over 5.1 million people worldwide • Over 35,000 doctors, nurses, midwives, community-based health workers, traditional birth attendants, water & sanitation workers, and others were trained to deliver quality health care in their communities, sustaining and expanding IMC’s legacy of care to millions more • More than 400 water systems and sewage plants, as well as thousands of wells and latrines were constructed to provide clean water and adequate sanitation for an estimated three million people worldwide • Thousands of households benefited from cash-for-work, micro-credit, and business training opportunities, starting more than 400 new businesses, community associations and revolving loan funds, and generating income for over 335,000 individuals and their families. 3 Programmatic Priorities Disaster response Mental health care In the aftermath of acute emergencies, IMC rapid IMC addresses a full range of mental health needs for response teams provide primary and secondary health the communities it serves. Its programs nurture mental care, nutrition, emergency medicine, mental health, health by allowing the psychosocial domain to inform the health education, water and sanitation, and other services design and activities of its integrated community-based to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent the spread of programs. Equally important, IMC provides and trains disease, reestablish basic coping mechanisms, and begin local staff to deliver clinical mental health services from the process of restoring communities to self-reliance. their own clinics - a need that, while widely recognized, is rarely provided. IMC also provides community education about mental health, mental disorders, and substance As part of an IMC-sponsored cash-for-work initiative, abuse. In emergencies IMC provides reliable situational members of a community in Aceh, Indonesia work together to rebuild a destroyed river dam that helps information, facilitates normal cultural practices such to irrigate crops. as mourning, reestablishes routine activities including education and recreation for children, and provides HIV/AIDS purposeful activities for adults. IMC prioritizes the control of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS in its primary health care programs. IMC focuses primarily on building the Famine relief capacity of health providers to prevent and control HIV/ IMC’s famine relief programs address the immediate AIDS, as well as to treat opportunistic infections. It also nutritional needs of individuals and implement long- conducts and supports health education campaigns to term strategies for food security. IMC’s multi-faceted fight the stigma associated with living with HIV/AIDS An IMC-trained health worker screens a young patient at and encourages testing and counseling. an IMC mobile health care clinic in Northern Uganda. response to famine emergencies includes supplementary and therapeutic feeding through its model of Community- based Therapeutic Care (CTC), as well as treatment Primary health care for diarrheal diseases and respiratory tract infections. Economic development In both rapid onset and complex emergencies, IMC sees IMC also provides community health, nutrition, and IMC improves the long-term health of communities by the emphasis on primary health care as the only viable agricultural training opportunities for food insecure increasing the economic stability of vulnerable families. alternative to the more costly traditional emphasis on communities, by which IMC ensures that the populations By providing opportunities for individuals to regain acute care services. The hallmark of primary health acquire the permanent knowledge necessary to continue livelihoods and by increasing the supportive relationship care is the community-based and community-supported livelihood-sustaining activities long after IMC has between businesses and communities, IMC reduces health worker, who provides essential health promotion, exited the country. dependence and speeds the recovery process. From disease prevention,