IMC receives support from Gates Foundation for famine relief program in Southern Sudan

SANTA MONICA, CA–IMC extends its thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for generously supporting an innovative nutritional program for more than 45,000 people on the brink of famine in the Upper Nile region of South Sudan. Southern Sudan faces grave nutritional and health challenges exacerbated by an unstable political environment, periodic drought, a high prevalence of communicable diseases, and minimal opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

According to Nancy Aossey, President and CEO of IMC, the Gates award will greatly reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in the Upper Nile region by strengthening the capacity of primary health care clinics to provide services; introducing new agricultural innovations such as community gardens, health education and training; and implementing new forms of income-generation through small livestock cooperatives and seed banks. “In order to mitigate famine in South Sudanese communities facing chronic food insecurity, IMC has identified the need for more innovative, long-term approaches to addressing these problems,” Aossey said. “With critical support from the Gates Foundation, IMC is beginning to rectify these issues in a comprehensive manner.”

International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, IMC is a private, voluntary, apolitical, non-sectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, IMC rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

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