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Happy Birthday, Circle of Health International!
 On January 14, 2008, COHI celebrated its fourth birthday, and we’d like to share with you some of our proudest achievements from the past four years. Since COHI’s inception in 2004, we have received six major grants to support our work worldwide, raised nearly $1 million for our work through donations and gifts, trained numerous midwives, nurses, and doctors, and have come to the aid of tens of thousands of courageous women living in crisis settings in Sri Lanka, Louisiana, Tibet, Tanzania, Israel, and Palestine. Thank you for your support, in all its many forms, over the last four years. COHI's successes are your successes, too. Read on to learn more about what’s coming up for us in 2008!
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"COHI Delivers": Field placements for graduate level nursing, midwifery and public health students focusing on women’s health in crisis settings
Mindy Levy, Nurse-Midwife, demonstrating informed consent before a pelvic exam during a training in Tanzania |
As a result of inadequate access to maternal and reproductive health care services, approximately 536,000 women will die each year from maternity-related causes, with 99 percent of these deaths occurring in developing regions (WHO). Each year, an estimated two billion people – or one-third of the world’s population – will be affected by natural disasters: 13 million will become refugees and approximately 20 million will be displaced within their own countries.
The need for high-quality, comprehensive reproductive health care in crisis settings is both grave and urgent. For women and children, who comprise approximately 80 percent of the world’s refugees and displaced people, it is primarily nurses and midwives who provide much needed care and support. It is estimated that nurses and midwives provide up to 80 percent of direct patient care around the world every day (WHO).
In partnership with member academic institutions, “COHI Delivers” will provide extensive field training for participants, serving to enhance the knowledge and skills that nursing and midwifery students need to provide quality care during humanitarian emergencies in development settings.
The first field placement for “COHI Delivers” is in Tanzania in July 2008. Applications and deposits are due to COHI by February 28, 2008. CVs and letters of interest detailing academic and clinical requirements are due to COHI by February 28th, 2008. Please contact COHI, info@cohintl.org to learn more. To download an informational pamphlet, click here.
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Job Posting: Tanzania Women’s Health Summit Coordinator
Mount Kilimanjaro |
Job Description
MISSION OF SUMMIT: To lead a team of women's health professionals for a week of service work providing training, equipment and supplies, and professional support to COHI's Tanzanian partner organization, FLEMAFA.
Click here for the full job posting.
Please address enquiries to Sera Bonds, Executive Director, at sera@cohintl.org.
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Gift to Tibetan Nuns
New Tibetan mother and her baby |
COHI Board member Jessica Mack coordinated a donation of Tibetan women’s health books to the Orgyen Samye Chohor Ling Tibetan Buddhist Nunnery in Varanasi, India by the Tibetan Nuns Project. A donation of books to COHI’s community partners in rural Tibet is also in the works. The books will be used as crucial women’s health guides for community healthcare workers providing maternal health care in rural and impoverished settings. To learn more about the upcoming trip to the field, contact us at info@cohintl.org.
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Palestinian and Israeli Midwives to Meet
Palestinian and Israeli Health Professionals participating in a COHI, Israel Childbirth Education Centre (ICEC), and Leledet Em sponsored Neonatal Resuscitation Training |
On February 15, 2008, a group of 16 Palestinian and Israeli midwives will come together for the first time to participate in a two-day midwifery workshop. The midwives will be co-hosted by COHI and Israeli midwife Mindy Levy, and will meet in Bit Lehem Galit, Israel. During the workshop they will discuss Standards of Practice, create a shared professional association of midwives committed to a peaceful coexistence, and begin plans for a shared event on International Midwives Day, May 5th, 2008.
To learn more about this exciting initiative, please contact us at info@cohintl.org.
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As you can see, there are great things afoot for COHI in 2008. If you’d like to learn more, or donate to help support the continuation of our crucial work, please visit our website at www.cohintl.org/getinvolved.
Thank you for your continued support during these crucial first four years, and we look forward to many more partnerships and milestones to come!
In celebration,
Sera Bonds, MPH
Executive Director
COHI
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