IMR Update from the Team

What a year we’ve just come through! There’s an end in sight and we at IMR cannot wait to get back to the work that’s been put on hold. We want to thank everyone who has supported us through it all.  

2020: Shifting Gears and Meeting Changing Needs

2020 started out for IMR, as for most people, fairly routine. Our project in Liberia had a renewed sense of accomplishment and support from Phebe Hospital’s Administration, a new commitment of support from UNFPA Liberia and a continued growing trust from our patients and vital staff members. We had just finished a successful fistula campaign in Dec 2019 and were back 4 weeks later to continue to work and follow up with our patients. 

The next month, February, we returned to provide medical relief to southern Puerto Rico where earthquakes had wreaked havoc. Our team delivered supplies and then returned to Vieques where we followed up with patients, attended community and partner meetings focused on getting a much-needed hospital to this island.

In early March, we held our Board meeting in Miami and all returned home to a changed and disrupted world.  The world was beginning to feel the burden of COVID.  

Towards the end of March, we quickly mobilized our medical supply contacts and shifted to supplying critical PPE to 20+ NYC healthcare partners. This ranged from Emergency Rooms, Labor and Delivery wards, homeless/indigent care clinics, inpatient Covid wards, nursing homes and more. 

In response, we launched a successful fundraising campaign and raised over $150,000 in a few weeks, with the focus on PPE distribution across NYC.  Almost 12 months later, we are still delivering PPE, including medical-grade masks, face shields, gowns, gloves, shoe/hair covers and cleaning/disinfectant supplies. We expanded our shipments to Vieques healthcare workers and contact tracers, checking in frequently on their needs. Along the way, we’ve developed strong relationships and are proud of the partnerships we’ve made. 

Honoring Eddy Rose’s Legacy

IMR has also responded to the world’s calls for equity and active antiracism. We expanded our Eddy Rose Scholarship to support a Black Birthworker--SUNY Downstate Midwifery student Tyla L. was chosen from a pool of highly dedicated practitioners. This was a direct response to the  recognition of how inequity manifests in maternal mortality here in NYC. We are looking to raise funds to expand this award to black doula students as well as indiginous/Native American birth workers. 

Globally, IMR’s ongoing support of local scholars has been fruitful. Our Nicaraguan scholar, Carlos Rose, is set to graduate from medical school in Managua this year and Jesumene, our Haitian nursing student scholar has had her studies interrupted by COVID. She’ll return, with our continued support as soon as she is able. 

New and Continuing Partnerships

We have an exciting new partnership with a Haitian community advocacy group in Brooklyn, called Life of Hope. LOH is a Central Brooklyn organization serving marginalized communities to advance healthcare information, advocacy and mentorship. We’re now part of their Sante Se Lavi health initiative, which includes health outreach monthly at the local Flatbush Caton Market, mentoring under-represented minority high school students in healthcare careers, and creating a Health-Hub that will be a source of health screening, advocacy and information. 

IMR has maintained regular communication and strategic meetings with our partners in Haiti, Liberia, Malawi and Vieques with community health advocates. All sites have suspended most non-critical services, but we plan to resume fistula and UROGYN operations and primary care clinics once vaccines become more available and our partners feel it’s safe for us to return. 

Until then, we’ll continue to provide support the best way we can, by advocating for global equitable access to the COVID vaccine. We are planning for our first medical trips to begin this summer.

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I hope this gives an overview of our work last year and how we hope to proceed this year. We are very eager to continue to bring the best care everywhere.

-Ambereen, Josh and Mayano