A Year in the Field with International Medical Corps

Thank you to all who have supported our work in 2019.

International Med. Corps

10 min readDec 19, 2019

As the world faced multiple crises and disasters, International Medical Corps staff, volunteers and supporters came together many times throughout 2019 to save lives and relieve suffering. Here’s a quick look back at some of what we have achieved together as a community of global first responders.

January: Providing a Range of Services in Ethiopia

Almost 8 million people in Ethiopia need food assistance to survive. Our team there provides treatment for malnourished children, as well as programs in food and livelihood security, comprehensive healthcare, and water, sanitation and hygiene.

In Ethiopia, we also work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) directed against South Sudanese and Somali refugees in the Gambella region, where we’ve been providing psychosocial support to GBV survivors in the camps, and training service providers in the camps on basic counseling skills and psychosocial care.

February: Continuing the Fight Against Ebola

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), our team is taking a holistic approach to containing an outbreak of the Ebola virus — now the second-largest in history — providing education, training, prevention and treatment services.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, in August 2018, International Medical Corps has built nearly 100 screening-and-referral units (SRUs) that have conducted more than 1.1 million screenings for the virus. These SRUs are crucial to providing early identification of infected patients so that they can be quarantined, their contacts traced and the spread of the disease contained. To further add to our prevention efforts, we’ve trained more than 1,700 local health workers on proper infection prevention-and-control practices, and continue to provide equipment and sanitation supplies across health facilities in affected areas.

Additionally, our Ebola Treatment Center in Mangina remains a beacon of hope for those who suffer from Ebola having cured 154 patients since last December, thanks to the dedication and tireless work of our incredible staff at the center.

March: Responding to Cyclone Idai in Southeastern Africa

We deployed a team of response experts to help those affected by the devastating cyclone that battered southeastern Africa on March 14 and 15. Nearly 3 million people in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe were affected by Cyclone Idai’s torrential rains, destructive winds and deadly flooding.

We leveraged our long-standing presence in Zimbabwe as a response platform, and worked to quickly expand support for medical care, nutrition, clean water, sanitation and other needs, working with partners, government ministries and international agencies to build and expand response efforts.

April: Saving Lives in South Sudan

Sienna Miller, our Global Ambassador since 2009, visited our programs in South Sudan in April, meeting with beneficiaries, health workers and students who are learning lifesaving skills at one of the three midwifery schools we support there. This initiative has seen more than 384 midwives graduate since the program began in 2008.

Our comprehensive work in South Sudan encompasses nutrition, maternal and child health, mental health and psychosocial support, and gender-based violence (GBV), among other services. GBV in particular remains a central area of focus, as violence against women continues to be exacerbated by conflict and mass displacement.

In response, International Medical Corps is providing safe spaces for women and girls, running livelihood activities that empower women economically and provide a route to independence, and offering counseling and psychosocial support to survivors of GBV.

May: Preventing Cholera in Yemen

Cholera, a potentially fatal disease, has once again surged in Yemen. Over the last 22 months, more than 1 million suspected cases were reported, with more than 1,500 associated deaths. Tragically, children under five are particularly at risk, representing 26% of the total suspected cases of 2019.

To help stop further transmission, International Medical Corps is raising awareness in communities at risk of the diseases about how proper hygiene, safe water and controlled sanitation can keep them safe.

In addition to training, International Medical Corps is providing healthcare, food, water, gender-based violence and capacity-strengthening programs to reach those in need in a country where an estimated four in every five people need humanitarian aid.

June: Providing Water and Hygiene Services in Indonesia

In December 2018, the Sunda Strait tsunami hit Indonesia, injuring thousands and tragically taking more than 400 lives. In response, we joined with in-country partner KUN Humanity Systems to bring water and sanitation to area schools, building shelters and latrines using local materials such as bamboo. The program involves community members, in efforts to build a sustainable knowledge base in case the communities experience need after the program ends.

We’re also working with Indonesia Bhadra Utuma Foundation to train volunteers in the area on how to provide psychological first aid, psychosocial support and child protection. Together, we have built child-friendly spaces and helped more than 700 children.

July: A Safe Motherhood for All

Safe motherhood is a universal human right. That’s why we spent July highlighting our incredible teams in the field who are working for a safer and healthier future for moms and babies everywhere. On July 17, we raised awareness about maternal health needs around the world through #BumpDay, which brought moms, moms-to-be and those who love them together to celebrate pregnancy and focus on how we can work together to achieve a safe motherhood for all.

At the end of July, we received word from our maternity staff in Azraq Refugee Camp that we were approaching a very special milestone: 5,000 babies safely delivered. Just a couple of weeks later, baby Ariam entered the world (with a little help from mom Diala) — an incredible achievement made possible by our hugely talented and dedicated team in Jordan!

August: Promoting Positive Mental Health

National Geographic partnered with our mental health team to bring NatGeo Photo Camp to young Somali refugees in Melkadida, Ethiopia. As the kids learned from world-class photographers about how to tell stories with pictures, they had the opportunity to focus on positive aspects of their lives, photographing people, places and things that are important to them.

International Medical Corps supporter Lily Donaldson, an experienced photographer herself, came along to help. Here, she works with a group of girls on how to document the stories in their favorite photos.

September: Responding to Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian slammed into the northwest Bahamas as a powerful Category 5 hurricane on September 1, bringing destruction to the communities and infrastructure in its path. To date, hundreds of people remain missing and, tragically, 70 people have been declared dead.

In response, International Medical Corps deployed an emergency response team consisting of doctors, nurses, logisticians, health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) specialists, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialists. So far, this team has provided more than 1,000 consultations to patients on Grand Bahama island, has reached more than 900 people through psychosocial support services and has made drinking water available for 2,000 people.

October: Fighting Disease in the DRC

Did you know that the world’s largest measles outbreak is unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? The disease has killed more than 5,000 people (more than the lives lost in the 15-month battle with Ebola) with a tragic propensity to be fatal for children — about nine in 10 deaths involve children younger than five years old. Cases have been reported in all 26 provinces of the country, stressing a weak healthcare system already challenged by the battle against Ebola.

Our mobile clinic in Fizi is just one of the ways we’re treating and referring those in need during this measles outbreak.

November: Our Teams Worldwide Stand United Against Gender-Based Violence

On November 25, our programs participated in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, kicking off the #16Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (GBV) campaign. Our teams around the world organized a wide variety of activities marking this special initiative.

GBV is a prevalent public health and human rights issue, affecting the physical and psychological health of survivors, as well as the health and well-being of families and communities. Women and girls are especially vulnerable to violence in emergency settings, where risks are combined with interruptions of support systems. We work with communities around the world to address these risks, and to combat beliefs and practices that perpetuate discrimination and violence against women and girls.

December: Preparing to Start the New Decade Right

One more vaccinated child … one more trained midwife … one more community empowered. When you pledge to help #OneMore person in 2020, you’re pledging to change the world for the better. Be part of this movement today!