IMHO Canada ENewsletter #16

Update on IMHO Canada Efforts

E-Newsletter Issue #16

In This Issue

November 2011

IMHO Launches Major Drive to Establish a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital

*IMHO Launches Major Drive to Establish a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital*

*Update on IMHO USA Efforts: Continuing the Commitment to Rebuilding Lives in Sri Lanka*

*Opening of the Cancer Education & Counseling Centre at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital*

*Empowering Marginalized Women in Sri Lanka as Trishaw Drivers*

***Check Out the Official Website of the 9th Annual IMHO Convention***

***IMHO Canada Youth Volunteer Opportunities***

*Upcoming Events*

Each year the Jaffna Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka records about 10,000 deliveries, and in the recent past the number has increased tremendously due to free movement of people from Vanni and other areas. Out of these deliveries, about 20% of the babies need some medical attention after birth. These babies are currently admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. The main problems at the Special Care Baby Unit at present are all related to overcrowding and lack of space.

During the year 2010 there were a total of 1,311 babies admitted to the baby unit and 55% of the babies were preterm. More than half of these preterm babies had surfactant deficient respiratory distress. The Jaffna Teaching Hospital does not have surfactant, nor are there facilities to ventilate babies in the baby unit.

Considering the deaths during the neonatal period, 105 babies died in 2010 mainly due to lack of neonatal intensive care. The deaths were particularly high due to sepsis, especially when the total number of babies was high. This also reflects the lack of space and increased risk of cross infection. The babies who need ventilation are admitted to the Adult Intensive Care Unit. In the year 2010 there were about 30 babies admitted to the ICU from the Special Care Baby Unit, and 50% of the babies died due to lack of neonatal intensive care.

With the advancement of medical sciences in much of the world, Northern Sri

With the advancement of medical sciences in much of the world, Northern Sri Lanka is lagging behind. There is a clear need to improve the neonatal services in Jaffna by establishing a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Lack of space, proper facilities, equipment, and trained doctors and nurses are the main challenges, which IMHO seeks to address with this major project. This new initiative will consist of three necessary phases, each costing roughly $70,000--1) the renovation and addition of building space to house the NICU, 2) the provisioning of vital medical equipment needed to meet the high demand and provide a higher quality of care, and 3) further equipment provisions.

Since first announcing this project, we have seen a flurry of support, which is a really exciting development. For those that have not yet seen the short documentary highlighting the state of pediatric services in Jaffna and the plans for developing the NICU, please click the video below to watch and learn more:

You can view the presentation given by Dr. Gita Sathiadas (who is leading this effort) at our 8th Semi-Annual Meeting in Baltimore last weekend, which highlights the current state of pediatric care in the Northern Province and the need for developing a NICU at the hospital, by clicking here: "Pediatric Services and Need for NICU at Jaffna Hospital"

Update on IMHO USA Efforts: Continuing the Commitment to Rebuilding Lives in Sri Lanka

In an ongoing effort to serve those in Sri Lanka most deeply affected by the war and working towards

In an ongoing effort to serve those in Sri Lanka most deeply affected by the war and working towards rebuilding the health care infrastructure in the region, we are proud to share a number of recent accomplishments

by IMHO USA with you, including the following: 1) Provided catheters for cardiac catheterization at the Jaffna Cardiac Centre, ultimately benefiting an estimated 500 patients at a cost of $5,000. Since opening in July 2011, more than 100 catheterizations have been performed for patients from the Northern and Eastern Provinces (25% of patients are transferred from Batticaloa).

2) Ongoing support for mobile clinics operated by Moolai Hospital ($2,000) 3) Bone marrow biopsy needles for the Jaffna Teaching Hospital ($500) 4) Ongoing support the Jaffna Diabetic Center, including a multimedia projector, air conditioning unit, and biothesometer ($3,520) 5) Pneumatic calf compressor and cuffs to prevent deep vein thrombosis following surgeries at the Oncology Unit of the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital ($3,900) 6) Various livelihoods and microcredit projects in Kilinochchi, benefiting 15 families.

Included in these efforts is the establishment of an incubator to hatch chickens, which can hatch up to 144 chicks every 21 days and is able to withstand power cuts for up to 3 days! ($3,500)

Opening of the Cancer Education and Counseling Centre at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital The Cancer Education and Counseling Centre at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital was formally opened on October 10th, 2011, marking an important step in addressing issues of cancer care throughout Northern Sri Lanka. Dr. Jeyakumaran, Consultant Oncologist, was on-hand for the opening ceremony to inaugurate the new facility. The center has impressive tele-conferencing capabilities, which will provide a great boost to the impact of the services offered by connecting with cancer centers abroad. This will allow for expert views and second opinions for difficult cases to be given and ensure the highest quality care possible. A few IMHO supporters from the US were also at the event to partake in the ceremony and give a short speech.

Empowering Marginalized Women in Sri Lanka as Trishaw Drivers In an effort to help empower marginalized women from various disadvantaged backgrounds, IMHO has lent its support to a livelihoods project in providing training and a trishaw (or "3wheeler") to a number of women. This project was initially orchestrated and launched earlier this year by the Women's Education and Research Centre (www.wercsl.org), a Sri Lankabased organization committed to realizing gender equality and equity. The first few phases of this project have already been completed, but perhaps the most important part of the project (providing trishaws to the now trained women drivers) has not yet materialized. We are seeking donors to support this final stage of the project. Of the total 12 trishaws that are needed, funds for just two have been provided to-date with pledges for a few more recently being secured. However, we still need more donors to step forward and help fill this void. The beneficiaries will repay the cost of these trishaws to the local

are seeking donors to support this final stage of the project. Of the total 12 trishaws that are needed, funds for just two have been provided to-date with pledges for a few more recently being secured. However, we still need more donors to step forward and help fill this void. The beneficiaries will repay the cost of these trishaws to the local organization (WERC) from 50% of their earnings until the debt is paid off in order for more women to benefit from this same program later. You can read the appeal with more details of the project on our website at http://www.imhocanada.org/field-news/reports/303-empowering-women-trishaw-drivers

Check out the Official Website of the 9th Annual IMHO Convention (Toronto--2012)!

We are very excited to announce that the 9th Annual IMHO Convention is being held this coming April 27th & 28th, 2012 in Toronto, Canada. Guests from around the world will be joining us to discuss and share how we can better serve communities in need. All the event details will be updated regularly on the special event website at www.IMHOAnnualConvention.com. You can register for the event, buy tickets, and find all the information you need to join us in Toronto. Come learn how you can get involved and become a change-maker for good!

IMHO Canada Youth Volunteer Opportunities: Get Involved NOW! Do you want to make a difference in the lives of those in need? Do you enjoy volunteering? Do you have an interest in global health and medical care?

There are many ways you can contribute to a worthy cause and create a meaningful experience for yourself in the process. There are several volunteer opportunities for youth with IMHO Canada and other organizations. For anyone interested in joining the IMHO Canada Youth Group, you can help to satisfy your mandatory volunteer hours requirement for all Ontario secondary school students. Volunteering with IMHO Canada will be particularly useful for those intending to pursue medicine as a career.

Thank you to those who attended our IMHO Canada youth volunteer opportunity information session earlier this month. But for those of you who missed it, it's not too late. You can find the presentation from the event posted on our website here: http://www.imhocanada.org/publications/presentations/304-youth-volunteer-opportunities. Also, please access our volunteer form (http://imhocanada.org/publications/newsletters/305-canadayouth-volunteer-form) for you to fill out if you are interested in volunteering with IMHO Canada, the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre (SAAAC), or the Canadian Centre of Victims of Torture (CCVT).

We encourage you to please return your completed volunteer form by the end of this week by emailing it to contact@imhocanada.org. We will be following up with those who are interested in volunteering and submit their forms in the next few weeks with regard to specific volunteer opportunities. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you and looking forward to your involvement!

Upcoming Events ***"Ideas 2 Impact": San Francisco 2011*** WHEN: Saturday, December 10th, 2011 from 6:30-10:30pm WHERE: pariSOMA Innovation Loft, 169 11th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 RSVP: Click HERE to register for this event!

Mingle with students and young professionals who share an interest in humanitarian work.

Hear about the incredible work that IMHO does in Sri Lanka and beyond. Participate in a unique brainstorming session in which your talents/interests are matched with specfic humanitarian needs, to generate innovate projects that come to life with the IMHO's support. After the event, continue working with the IMHO and like-minded attendees to translate your ideas into real impact overseas. FREE DINNER AND DRINKS WILL BE PROVIDED! Please RSVP today! Visit the special event website today for more details:

translate your ideas into real impact overseas. FREE DINNER AND DRINKS WILL BE PROVIDED! Please RSVP today! Visit the special event website today for more details: www.ideas2impact.org ***Socialitez Presents “First Impressions�*** rd WHEN: Saturday, December 3 , 2011 at 7:00pm WHERE: T2 Lounge, 177 Whitmore Road, Woodbridge, ON RSVP/MORE INFO: Visit www.socialitez.ca or the Facebook event page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=284529594913588 On Saturday, December 3, 2011, Socialitez is hosting First Impressions, an event intended to act as a platform for single, Tamil individuals, who are too busy to carry on social agendas, to meet and pursue social and romantic interests. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the International Medical Health Organizations or IMHO. For further info or questions please contact us at events@socialitez.ca. Hope to see you there! ***SAVE THE DATE: 9th Annual IMHO Convention*** WHEN: Friday, April 27th and Saturday, April 28th, 2012 WHERE: New Jaasmin Banquet Hall, 90 Nolan Court, Toronto, ON All volunteers, donors, supporters, and team members of the IMHO family of organizations (including IMHO USA, IMHO Canada, IMHO Lanka, and IMHO European Union) are invited to attend our annual convention! Find all the event details and register/buy tickets today on our special event website at www.IMHOAnnualConvention.com. ***IMHO Canada Greeting Card Sales*** IMHO Canada is pleased to offer greeting cards designed by Sri Lankan youth whereby all profits will benefit youth in Sri Lanka. Each pack of colorfully designed cards comes with 10 cards and envelopes for just $5! Or you can order 5 packs for just $20. To order, simply email the IMHO Programs Coordinator at programs@imhocanada.org and give the details of your order.

The cards can either be picked up at the IMHO Canada office or can be mailed to you. If you are picking the cards up at the IMHO Canada office, simply bring a cheque or cash as payment. If you prefer to have the cards mailed to you, please make a donation online HERE and make sure to include $5 extra for shipping. In either case, please coordinate in advance with the IMHO Canada Programs Coordinator by email or phone.

Be the Difference.

Save a Life with just $10/month.

DONATE TODAY!

During this crucial time in Sri Lanka and around the world, as we face monumental challenges in providing better access to quality medical and health care for those most at-risk populations, we need YOUR HELP now more than ever. With just $10/month you can make a huge difference in the quality of life for those in need. Please consider making a donation to IMHO Canada today. You can donate online via PayPal as a onetime or recurring donation (the amount & frequency of which are up to you).

You can also donate via mail by sending a check made out to "IMHO Canada" to the following address: IMHO Canada Treasurer

 

Unit #7-5637 Finch Ave. East Toronto, ON M1B 2T9 Canada IMHO Canada is a registered not-for-profit organization in Canada.

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