FIMRC

WHO IS FIMRC?FIMRC, the Foundation for the

International Medical Relief of Children, is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving pediatric as well as maternal health in the developing world through self-sustainable health improvement programs!

WHO IS FIMRC?• FIMRC began in 2002, it’s current

headquarters are in Philadephia, PA. Over 3,000 staff and volunteers worldwide help to serve FIMRC’s mission.

• FIMRC provides clinical services, extensive community outreach efforts and health education programs through its unique network of outpatient clinics and partnerships across the globe.

FIMRC’S VISION“A world in which all children have

an equal opportunity to benefit from modern medicine.”

FIMRC’S MISSION“To provide access to medical care

for the millions of underprivileged and medically underserved children around the world.”

EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSIONEstablishing a healthcare facility in

under privileged areas around the globe. These facilities are scouted by members of the Project Development Team prior to development. Once completed, follow up visits occur to assess progress and a charting system is used to document care given to the local population.

EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION

FIMRC recruits willing and able volunteers to contribute abroad through their Global Health Volunteer Program. FIMRC organizes trips for volunteers to clinics on an ongoing basis to supplement the care being delivered by local professionals. Both medical and non-medical volunteers assist in this mission.

EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION

Encouraging students to implement local FIMRC chapters and participate in local community service activities as well as visit a FIMRC clinic so that they may experience firsthand the goal of healthier children worldwide.

AREAS OF IMPACT

• Alajuelita, Costa Rica

• Las Delicias, El Salvador

• Kodaikanal, India

• Limon, Nicaragua

• Agallpampa, Peru

• Huancayo, Peru

• Trujillo, Peru

• Bumwalukani, Uganda

• Restauracion, Dominican Republic

PROJECT ALAJUELITA, COSTA RICATTUHSC SOP Medical Mission Trip

May 15-22, 2011

• Alajuelita’s clinic is the main center of clinical and outreach programs for FIMRC in Costa Rica. There is an absence of clean water and sanitation facilities in rural areas, overcrowded schools, under employment, and increasing dropout rates in schools. Much of Costa Rica’s labor force comes from Nicaragua, which are not covered under the universal healthcare of Costa Rica leaving a large part of the community uninsured. Alajuelita’s clinic has three major branches to address these health issues including the medical, psychological, and health education outreach programs.

FIMRC’S MEDICAL BRANCHThe medical branch of Alajuelita’s

clinic treats cases of parasitic infections, upper respiratory infections, skin diseases, malnutrition and well child visits to provide preventative care. Dr. Reinhart Stedem is the clinical physician overseeing all clinical operations who has been doing amazing work with volunteers and members of the community.

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH AND OUTREACH BRANCHESProject Alajuelita volunteers give

around 7 different health education lessons a month. 280 people a month attend health education sessions at the soup kitchens in San Felipe and La Promesa. Along with acute care, chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes are also present in Costa Rica.

Health Education Presentations

PSYCHOLOGY BRANCH

• The psychological unit addresses many issues dealing with migration, work, living conditions and torn family environment through counseling. Tatiana Blanco is the clinic psychologist in Costa Rica who serves the surrounding community at the FIMRC clinic. Volunteers can sit in on art therapy and life story review sessions, which has been an eye-opening experience for many FIRMC volunteers.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT ALAJUELITA CLINIC• Strengthening medical record systems• Building health education curricula on

the topics of HIV, parasites, or dental health

• Observing clinical interactions with medical staff

• Shadowing physicians in the examination rooms

• Administering medication

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AT ALAJUELITA CLINIC• Nutrition dental hygiene• English lessons• Parasitic and fungal infection

prevention• Women’s group-pregnancy

VOLUNTEER GROUPS

FIMRC Volunteers come from a wide range of students including Pre-Medical, Nursing, Psychology, Business, Engineering, Education Professions and many more! FIMRC helps to tailor the experience of the volunteer based on their future profession.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

PROJECT PERUMay 19-26, 2012Trujillo and Agallpampa

VOLUNTEER MISSION

• As a volunteer with Project Peru, you will carry out vital tasks in support of FIMRC’s efforts. In Trujillo and Huancayo, volunteers are based in a large government hospital; while in Agallpampa volunteer activities take place in a small community. All volunteers will divide their time between the medical facilities and the surrounding community

• Provide care to children who are underprivileged and underserved

PROJECT PERU TEAM

Field Operations Manager- Haley KerrWorks with countless partnerships in Trujillo and Agallpampa to continually develop public health interventions, ensuring that volunteers have a wonderful health immersion experiences and a positive lasting impact on the community

Site Coordinator, Agallpampa- Edgar Mantilla

Maintains complex professional networks, coordinates with local doctors, assists in developing projects and preventive health campaigns, and participates in volunteer coordination

AGALLPUMPAThe village of 700 people at 10,000 ft above sea level, Agallpampa is the regional center of a sprawling network of Andean villages. Most men and women work in the fields, performing jobs that require intense physical labor. Many health problems are a direct result of the difficult living conditions, such as malnutrition and respiratory infections. Due to the sparseness of the region, medical access is extremely limited.

FIMRC works with local clinics to help expand the reach of the medical care provided, assisting with medical campaigns and working on health education.

Students helped the clinics by taking blood pressure of patients waiting in line, recording the weight and height of the local children, and presenting prevention methods for infection

TEACHING ENGLISH TO LOCAL ELEMENTARY CLASS

FIMRC volunteers helped elementary aged students put together a booklet of healthy habits in English and Spanish.

TRUJILLOA coastal city of 600,000 and the capital of the Peruvian north, Trujillo is steeped in Latin culture and archeological history. Local living conditions, especially in the outlying communities, tend to be extremely rustic and contribute to the health problems most commonly seen in medical institutions. The medical facilities are critically understaffed and underfunded, and many medical establishments struggle to provide even basic medical care to the people they serve.

Goal of FIRMC in Peru is to provide an unique perspective into the medical system, as well as provide unique education opportunities to different populations and institutions.

Volunteers were able to observe, assist, and conduct routine clinic check-ups and appointments

IMPORTANCE OF HAND-WASHINGV O L U N T E E R S V I S I T E D L O C A L S C H O O L I N T R U J I L L O T O T E A C H T H E S T U D E N T S A B O U T P R O P E R H A N D W A S H I N G T E C H N I Q U E A N D T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F C L E A N I N G A P P R O P R I A T E LY

MEDICATION SAFETY FOR MOTHER AND CHILD

Volunteers visited a run-down area of town to counsel on prevention methods and medication safety which addressed keeping medication in the house safe away from children. Women in this area are likely to bare 8-10 children each, it was imperative information to keep medications in a safe and protective area.

RECYCLING LESSONS

Volunteers gave presentation regarding the importance of recycling. It is very common in Peru to have large mounds of trash on city streets on even in the farm lands. It is a major problem that is not exercised by all of the residents of Peru. With FIRMC, we made crafts with children out of old newspaper and recycled paper. The children of Alco Moche do not receive gifts or toys regularly so we decided to help them make their own toys out of recycled items.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

TTUHSC SOP FIMRC CHAPTER

• Objective• provide an avenue for

pharmacy candidates to become more culturally competent in the health care setting by participating in these missions

VOLUNTEERING• High Plains Children’s Home

• Tutoring elementary/middle school/ or high school students 5-6 Saturday’s/semester

• Making dinner at least once/ year

• Presentations for a healthier living such as smoking cessation, healthy heart, and limiting candy and sugar

• Evelyn River’s Christmas Project• Packed boxes with

presents to give to underserved children in the local area

• Snack Pak for Kids• Packed sacks with non-

perishable food for children in the local area that do not receive healthy food on a daily basis

FUNDRAISING EVENTS• Basketball Tournament:

• FIMRC has hosted a 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament for the past 3 years.

• Volleyball Tournament• 4 vs. 4 tournament held in

2012• Football Tournament

• 5 vs. 5 tournament held in 2010 and 2011

• The money raised for these type of events go towards students attending the mission trips in May. It is a great opportunity for students and even faculty to relieve stress and raise money for a good cause

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Study-Fuel Snack FundraiserMembers set up a week during Finals/Midterms to sell candy, energy drinks, cokes, and pizza to help students at the school study for upcoming tests.

Pharm FlicksPharmacy students and/or faculty can put together humorous videos related to a professional student’s life which will be shown at a Festival.

Proceeds will go toward mission trips