Impact

IMEC projects save lives and enhance the safety, security and well-being of people around the globe. Together with our partners, we create immediate and long-term impact within these communities.


SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in October 2017, IMEC partnered with organizations on the ground to deliver lifesaving supplies to residents of the island. With no power and little clean water, more than 800 families in San Juan and Aguadilla were provided with personal water filtration bags able to remove chemicals and bacteria from contaminated water supplies.

IMEC assembled and shipped containers of desperately needed medical supplies to replace supplies damaged or lost in the storm.  These supplies were shipped directly to the island’s two largest hospitals, which, combined, serve more than 3.7 million people.

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NEGELE ARSI, ETHIOPIA

Negele Arsi, Ethiopia is a rural region located some five hours from the nearest advanced trauma center.  For residents of the region, limited access to advanced care meant that relatively minor health conditions or emergencies could often prove fatal. In 2016, Dr. Gudata Hinika had a vision to create a medical center and teaching college to deliver lifesaving care and life-changing opportunities to Negele Arsi and surrounding communities.
Working with Ethiopian Health Aid, Dr. Hinika constructed the Negele Arsi General Hospital and Medical College which opened its doors in 2017. The entire new facility was outfitted with equipment and supplies provided through IMEC, including the region’s first emergency trauma center and specialized surgical suite, as well as diagnostic suites and outpatient care facilities.
The Hospital currently receives several hundred patients each day, while also educating 200 nursing and ancillary health service students.  As a locus of care, the Hospital has forged affiliations with nearby community health centers to provide primary care services to the more than 1.2 million people living throughout the area.
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BATTAMBANG, CAMBODIA

Located in Northwestern Cambodia, Battambang lies in the middle of a region that is heavily affected by landmines. Prior to 1998 the nearest facility for victims to receive treatment was over 5 hours away, in the capital city of Phnom Penh.
In 1998, The Handa Emergency Hospital was built to provide free trauma and surgical care to Battambang and the surrounding area.  In collaboration with The Handa Foundation, IMEC equipped and upgraded the medical center as well as the rehabilitation center, providing Physical Therapy, Exam and Critical Care Suites. Upon arrival the equipment was put to immediate use treating land mine victims.
Today, the 110-bed facility treats over 65% of patients free of charge. It is recognized for having the lowest post-surgical infection in all of Cambodia and acts as a training facility for doctors and nurses across the country.
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SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS

Due to the high number of burn victims (especially children) in the rural communities of Honduras, the Ruth Paz Foundation built the Ruth Paz Burn Hospital for Children in the community of San Pedro Sula to provide burn treatment and care.

After construction of the facility, the Foundation was in need of medical equipment and supplies to care for patients. In partnership with The World is Our Neighborhood (TWION), IMEC provided a laboratory suite, critical care equipment, patient rooms, exam rooms and medical supplies.

In addition to the Ruth Paz Burn Hospital, IMEC and TWION also provided much-needed equipment and supplies to Hermanos de Jesus, a home for mentally and physically disabled residents, as well as Centro De Desarrollo Coumnitario. All of these facilities provide care to those within their community and host international teams of surgeons and specialists.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI

The St. Francois de Sales Hospital was established in Port-au-Prince in 1881 with the mission of providing care for the poorest members of the community. The earthquake in January 2010 destroyed more than 80 percent of the hospital’s buildings, including the maternity, pediatric and general inpatient wards. Nearly 140 patients and hospital staff lost their lives.
Catholic Relief Services and hospital staff salvaged an emergency facility from the rubble to treat patients with critical injuries. Eventually the hospital transferred to a temporary site to carry on its mission to treat the poor devastated by the earthquake and subsequent disasters.
Intent on restoring the full capacity of the hospital, Catholic Relief Services spearheaded the rebuilding of a new facility. Working with IMEC to procure and provide equipment and biomedical training, a new state-of-the-art, 200-bed teaching hospital opened in August 2015. Today, the hospital continues the St. Francois de Sales mission to serve the poorest citizens of Port-au-Prince and beyond, while training the doctors and nurses of the future.
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