A child carrying water provided by IRD and the Living Water Society, Mozambique

In response to health concerns across the globe, IRD’s Health team has continued to develop effective prevention interventions, as well as address both the long-term and immediate health care needs of vulnerable populations. In 2006, IRD health programs included HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, family planning and reproductive health, treatment of infectious diseases, nutrition, community-based primary health care, health education, and water and sanitation hygiene training programs, focusing particularly on vulnerable populations such as refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), people living with HIV/AIDS, the disabled, and women and children marginalized by poverty.  

IRD’s Health team incorporates the capabilities of all IRD sectors into its activities. For example, in Mozambique IRD builds the capacity of community-based associations conducting home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS. IRD provides both administrative and technical assistance, and works with the associations to help them seek local sources of funding. In Ukraine, the USAID-funded Reducing Stigma and Discrimination Associated with HIV/AIDS project raises awareness of HIV/AIDS and understanding about the infection, reaching over two million people thus far.

In 2006, IRD received a USAID Child Survival and Health Grant to implement a four-year child nutrition improvement project in Cambodia. In a country where 45.3 percent of children 18 to 23 months are malnourished, IRD improves child nutrition through community-level education and behavior change communication, water and sanitation hygiene training, and the marketing of fortified, low cost foods and supplements. 

IRD is an active member of InterAction’s Avian Influenza (AI) working group and in 2006 participated in the Bird Flu Summit. To help prevent and control the spread of AI, IRD implements programs to contain outbreaks of AI in Indonesia and Ukraine, as well as developing the training curriculum for master trainers and local community members.

In 2006, IRD continued to provide primary health care for an estimated 200,000 IDPs, returnees and members of affected communities through the USAID/OFDA-funded Humanitarian Assistance to Iraq project. IRD has rehabilitated selected clinics and provided basic medical equipment and training. In Kirkuk, IRD conducted emergency medical trainings for hospital staff to improve their handling of emergency cases. With the Department of Health, IRD also established mobile medical units that travel to remote locations to improve access to primary health care services.

In partnership with governments, community organizations and health care providers, IRD designs and implements innovative health programs responsive to local community needs. In 2007, IRD will continue to build on its core capabilities to address the increasingly complex health care needs of developing countries, focusing on Chad, Colombia, Vietnam, Laos, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sudan and Haiti.

Current Projects

• Armenia – Distribution of Medical Commodities
• Armenia – Improved Primary Health Care Services
• Azerbaijan – Distribution of Medical Commodities
• Georgia – Distribution of Medical Commodities
• Indonesia – Avian Flu Awareness and Prevention
• Indonesia – Student Health Improvement Program (SHIP)
• Indonesia – Health Grants Management
• Jordan – Strategic Health Support
• Mozambique - Community Mobilization/Training in Sanitation
• Mozambique – National Council for HIV/AIDS Organizational Development
• Mozambique – Women First HIV/AIDS program
• Sri Lanka – Health Grants Management
• Ukraine – Distribution of Medical Commodities
• Ukraine – Rapid Response to Avian Flu
• Ukraine – Reducing Stigma and Discrimination Associated with HIV/AIDS