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Evidence-Based Research
As donors and the public become more and more aware of and involved in global health initiatives, the need for solid health statistics and research has increased exponentially. More money is being spent on global health than ever before, and donors want to know what the return on their investment is. What are the most pressing needs of a given population? What are the most efficient and cost-effective methods of delivering health care to them? As one of the only international relief and development NGOs in the world with the in-house capacity to research and document the health needs of vulnerable populations, effect programmatic changes to reflect these scientific findings, and successfully advocate for policy change, International Medical Corps (IMC) is uniquely placed to answer such questions.
IMC puts transparency and accountability at the top of its list of strategic priorities. Its Evidence-Based Research Unit works with headquarters and field staff throughout IMC to incorporate its population-based findings into program planning and implementation, ensuring that limited resources are targeted to meet the most pressing needs and have the greatest impact. Rapidly gaining attention in international health policy circles, IMC’s research has been cited by the United Nations (UNHCR, UNIFEM, UNFPA, and UNDP), the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Afghan Ministry of Health, among others, in the critical dialogue on eliminating inequalities in health and human rights worldwide.
In Afghanistan, for example, where maternal and child mortality rates are very high, 99 percent of women delivered their infants alone or with untrained birth attendants. International Medical Corps used this data to advocate successfully with Congress for increased funding for training traditional birth attendants. As a result, IMC now runs one of the largest new TBA training programs in western Afghanistan. IMC’s Evidence-Based Research is fundamental to effecting the change in global policy and strategy necessary to protect and promote the health and human rights of crisis-affected populations around the world.
Basic needs, mental health, and women's health among internally
displaced persons in Nyala District, South Darfur, Sudan (PDF)
IMC puts transparency and accountability at the top of its list of strategic priorities. Its Evidence-Based Research Unit works with headquarters and field staff throughout IMC to incorporate its population-based findings into program planning and implementation, ensuring that limited resources are targeted to meet the most pressing needs and have the greatest impact. Rapidly gaining attention in international health policy circles, IMC’s research has been cited by the United Nations (UNHCR, UNIFEM, UNFPA, and UNDP), the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Afghan Ministry of Health, among others, in the critical dialogue on eliminating inequalities in health and human rights worldwide.
In Afghanistan, for example, where maternal and child mortality rates are very high, 99 percent of women delivered their infants alone or with untrained birth attendants. International Medical Corps used this data to advocate successfully with Congress for increased funding for training traditional birth attendants. As a result, IMC now runs one of the largest new TBA training programs in western Afghanistan. IMC’s Evidence-Based Research is fundamental to effecting the change in global policy and strategy necessary to protect and promote the health and human rights of crisis-affected populations around the world.
Basic needs, mental health, and women's health among internally
displaced persons in Nyala District, South Darfur, Sudan (PDF)
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