International Medical Corps & ReSurge International Issue Commitment to Action at 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting to Address Global Burn Crisis

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- International Medical Corps and ReSurge International announced at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting a commitment to addressing the global burn crisis – a silent emergency that affects millions of people, primarily women and children.  The first major NGO partnership to address the often neglected issue of burns, The Global Burn Project will improve health-worker training and provide better access for enhanced early care and rehabilitation –the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce permanent burn-related disabilities. 

"The Clinton Global Initiative has provided an unparalleled platform for International Medical Corps and ReSurge International to bring attention to this underreported crisis," said International Medical Corps President & CEO Nancy A. Aossey. "Millions of people needlessly suffer debilitating injuries from burns because they lack access to appropriate care at the time of their accidents. This means even small to moderate burns can become permanent disabilities. We are extremely proud to partner with ReSurge in reaching out to underserved communities with vital equipment, supplies and training programs to manage and treat burns, and significantly decrease burn-related disabilities."

"More women are severely burned each year than are diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis. Many of them end up with needless disabilities – a burned foot attaches to the shin as the wound "heals" and the skin contracts, making it impossible for a girl to walk to school. Women cannot care for their babies or earn a living because their hand has tightened into a fist or their arms are unmovable," said ReSurge President & CEO Susan W. Hayes. "But there are solutions. Up to 60 percent of disabilities from small and moderate burns can be prevented with available and inexpensive treatments. We want to put those solutions into actions."
 

This commitment will pilot a program to provide equipment and expertise needed to better manage small and moderate burns early in Nepal, where more women and girls die from fires alone – not including other burn sources – than from road traffic accidents, falls, self-inflicted injuries, HIV or malaria. The program seeks to reduce the number of people, especially women and children, who are permanently disabled by burns; strengthen the capacity of the local health system to prevent and treat burns; and increase the number of survivors who can attend school, earn a living and care for their families. Using the findings from this pilot program, International Medical Corps and ReSurge International will expand to all five districts of Nepal and eventually, other developing countries.

Since its inception nearly 30 years ago, International Medical Corps' mission has been consistent: relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster, and disease, by delivering vital health care services and sustainable development projects that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit:  www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org.  Also see us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

ReSurge International (formerly Interplast) provides free reconstructive surgeries for the poor and builds year-round medical access in underserved areas. It restores the dreams of those with deformities and injuries, and impacts the world by renewing the health of thousands of children and adults each year so they can go to school, provide for their families and contribute to society. For more information or to see video, photos, and beneficiary stories, please visit www.resurge.org.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $69.2 billion.

CGI's Annual Meeting is held each September in New York City. CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

SOURCE International Medical Corps