International Medical Corps is a global, nonprofit, humanitarian aid organization that provides
emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
, healthcare training and
capacity building
Capacity building (or capacity development, capacity strengthening) is the improvement in an individual's or organization's facility (or capability) "to produce, perform or deploy". The terms ''capacity building'' and ''capacity development'' ha ...
to those affected by
disaster
A disaster is a serious problem occurring over a short or long period of time that causes widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources ...
, disease or
conflict." It seeks to strengthen medical services and infrastructure in the aftermath of crises."
International Medical Corps focuses on health services and training. This includes the prevention and treatment of
infectious diseases
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable di ...
; supplemental food for
malnourished children;
water, sanitation and hygiene;
mental health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles Stress (biology), stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-maki ...
and
psychosocial
The psychosocial approach looks at individuals in the context of the combined influence that psychological factors and the surrounding social environment have on their physical and mental wellness and their ability to function. This approach is ...
care; and
gender-based violence Gender-related violence or gender-based violence includes any kind of violence directed against people due to their gender or gender identification.
Types of gender-related violence include:
* Violence against women (sometimes referred to simply a ...
."
International Medical Corps is a founding member of
One Campaign and a member of the
Clinton Global Initiative
The Clinton Foundation (founded in 2001 as the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, and renamed in 2013 as the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation) is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was es ...
.
History
The organization was founded in 1984 by Dr. Robert Simon, together with a group of American physicians and nurses. It is a private organization, with no political or religious affiliation. Simon is a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at
Rush University,
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago. He is the former Bureau Chief of the
Cook County Bureau of Health Services.
Current operations
International Medical Corps works in some 30 countries globally, 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
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 b ...
(USAID), the
(ECHO) and the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
."
International Medical Corps is based in Los Angeles, with other offices in Washington, D.C.; London, England; and Split, Croatia. As of 2020, it employs 7,500 staff and has worked in 80 countries."
International Medical Corps has provided disaster relief for people impacted by the
2010 Haiti earthquake
A catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest department, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's ca ...
, the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peni ...
, the
Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, and the
April 2015 Nepal earthquake
The April 2015 Nepal earthquake (also known as the Gorkha earthquake) killed 8,964 people and injured 21,952 more. It occurred at on Saturday, 25 April 2015, with a magnitude of 7.8 Mw or 8.1 Ms and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of X (''Extreme ...
.
References
External links
International Medical Corps– Official site
International Medical Corps UK– UK website
{{Authority control
Health charities in the United States
Organizations established in 1984
International medical and health organizations
Medical and health organizations based in California