Organizational Mandate
The mandate of International Medical Alliance is to provide free, high-quality medical, dental, surgical, veterinary and eyeglass care to poor and needy people of the world.
International Medical Alliance was founded in the year 2000 with the goal of developing a volunteer medical relief organization staffed by experienced field providers. The country or region to be aided is researched to determine the types and prevalence of diseases, then the expedition is planned and implemented to bring the appropriate WHO recommended medicines and supplies. The founders, with fourteen years prior experience in tropical and sub-tropical countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa, felt well-qualified to undertake this task, having treated many patients is such diverse locales as Mexico (three times), Guatemala (four times), highland Honduras, Amazonas in Venezuela (two times), the Dominican Republic and Haiti (numerous times), and Kenya (twice).
The burden of disease in these areas is three-fold: the chronic conditions of arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and stroke and heart disease, treated with long-term medications; acute skin, respiratory and GI problems, treated short-term; and conditions incident to the tropics, including malaria, cutaneous leishmaniasis, TB, leprosy, AIDS, filariasis, brucellosis, helminthiasis and undernutrition treated with the currently recommended medicines.
Although IMA is non-denominational and non-political, funds are solicited from local area churches and various donors. Medications are either donated by cooperating drug companies, purchased at cost from medical missionary supply houses, or obtained from sample sources. Volunteers and community service groups help in the packaging and labeling (in the native language) of the meds in convenient dose packs. Expedition volunteers pay their own airfare, in-country expenses, travel, food and lodging, are usually provided by the foreign hosting group, usually a church, a service organization, or the host-country military.
For volunteer opportunities or if you wish to make a donation, please contact us.
Words to ponder, written in a small park in La Descubierta, Providencia Independencia, La Republica Dominicana,
EL TIEMPO
Lento para los que sufren
Fugaz para los que gozan
(Time slows for those who suffer, flies for those who enjoy.)
-Wagner
