Published 6/1/2010
Four organizations will share funds
In recognition of the tireless commitment made by hundreds of AAOS members in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti earlier this year, the Board of Directors of the AAOS authorized donations totaling $50,000 to four organizations that deliver orthopaedic-related patient care and relief. Handicap International, the International Medical Corps (IMC), Partners in Health (PIH), and the Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) each received $12,500 in support of their efforts.
“These funds recognize the work these organizations are doing and our desire to help them achieve their long-term plans in Haiti,” said AAOS President John J. Callaghan, MD. “We are proud to be able to provide some assistance in support of their efforts.”
Handicap International
Handicap International works to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities in low income countries around the world. It is part of a global network that manages and supports approximately 250 programs in more than 60 countries.
Since its inception, Handicap International has developed and implemented solutions adapted to the needs and expectations of people with disabilities, their families, and their communities. In collaboration with local authorities and relevant organizations, it provides appropriate, long-term solutions without duplicating the work of other initiatives or becoming a substitute for local efforts.
International Medical Corps
A global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering, the IMC focuses on healthcare training and relief and development programs. In addition to emergency relief, the IMC also provides education and ongoing support, establishes clinics, and increases access to quality care.
Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, the IMC offers training, medical assistance, and health interventions to local populations. It also helps rehabilitate devastated healthcare systems and bring them back to self-reliance.
Partners in Health
Since 1987, PIH has cared for patients, addressed the root causes of disease in their communities, and shared lessons learned around the world. PIH uses a variety of methods—from pressuring drug manufacturers to lobbying policymakers—to address medical care and social services in countries such as Haiti, Rwanda, Peru, and Lesotho.
PIH has been in Haiti for more than 20 years, providing access to primary care, addressing basic social and economic needs, and building partnerships with the community. When the earthquake struck, it had resources in place to deliver aid and facilitated the placement of volunteer surgeons, physicians, and nurses.
SIGN
SIGN has been in Haiti since 2005 when AAOS members David Templeman, MD, and Lewis G. Zirkle, MD, began two programs in Port au Prince. At the height of the disaster, SIGN volunteers supplied equipment and donated orthopaedic materials to various temporary hospital sites, and provided onsite training in emergent care.
SIGN builds local surgical capability in developing countries by providing training and equipment to surgeons for use in treating the poor. “SIGN has and continues to provide us with a medium for using our trauma skills in a matter that exemplifies the humanitarian goals of being orthopaedic surgeons,” wrote the Presidential Line of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, in supporting the donation.
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