PIH is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Paul Farmer and Dr. Jim Yong Kim that works to avert the millions of preventable deaths that occur in the developing world each year. Partners in Health is committed to ensuring that poverty stricken individuals are not denied health care because of an inability to pay, and works with local governments and other non-profit agencies to guarantee access to lifesaving treatments.
Since it first established its community-based approach to HIV treatment in 1987, PIH has revolutionized the treatment of infectious diseases in resource-poor settings. The PIH treatment model rejects the notion that it is not cost-effective to provide high-quality medical care to patients in the developing world, and their documented successes in South America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe reinforce the validity of this belief. Relying on a combination of education, social services and cutting-edge medicine, PIH's clinics have been repeatedly shown to offer higher cure rates for diseases like multidrug-resistant tuberculosis than are seen in US hospitals. Internationally recognized as one of the most innovative and effective healthcare providers in the world, Partners in Health is continuously expanding the scope of its programs, improving the lives of millions of impoverished individuals worldwide.
"The work of PIH has three goals: to care for our patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease in their communities, and to share lessons learned around the world. Through long-term partnerships with our sister organizations, we bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need and work to alleviate the crushing economic and social burdens of poverty that exacerbate disease. PIH believes that health is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Through service, training, advocacy, and research, we seek to raise the standard of care for the poor everywhere."
Partners in Health operates based on five fundamental principles that are applied to every PIH treatment site. The five principles are:
- Access to primary health care
- Free health care and education for the poor
- Community partnerships
- Addressing basic social and economic needs
- Serving the poor through the public sector
Using these five principles as the foundation for their work, PIH has succeeded in accomplishing their goals in a diverse array of locations.
For its innovative approach to global healthcare, in 2005 Partners in Health was awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world's largest humanitarian award. In addition, Paul Farmer and Jim Kim are both recipients of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation "Genius Awards" for their work in the field of global health, and both were named to the list of "America's Best Leaders" by US News and World Report.
“Just put them in the worst, most rotten part of Rwanda, and they’ll flourish.“
Rwandan Minister of Health, on where to place the new PIH clinic in his nation (TIME)
“The PIH model of training local people to be the community-based health care delivery system has transcended country and cultural boundaries and is now being adopted by governments and health organizations around the world.“
Steven Hilton, chairman and CEO of the Hilton Foundation
“To say that Dr. Paul Farmer is a life saver does not begin to describe the impact of his work. Dr. Farmer and his extraordinary organization have been a force in making the world confront the health care needs of those who historically have never had access to proper care. Because of his dedication and compassion, critical health care services are now being administered around the globe to people who previously would have been left untreated.“
Teresa Heinz, chairman of the Heinz Family Foundation
“Many people are still not aware of the remarkable progress on many fronts over the last few year—progress in treatment, progress in mobilizing commitment and resources to make that treatment available to the poor, progress that means AIDS need no longer be an automatic death sentence.“
Ophelia Dahl, Director of PIH
Part of the FACE AIDS mission to mobilize and inspire students is to raise $1,000,000 dollars to support AIDS treatment and prevention programs in Africa. After reviewing a number of different non-profit organizations, we decided to team up with Partners in Health because of their dedication to providing quality medical care and promoting social justice in the poorest regions of the world. All donations that we receive are used to support PIH's latest efforts to train healthcare workers and establish new clinics in Rwanda. Our collaboration with Partners in Health guarantees that the money we raise will fund proven, effective treatments that reach those who need them most.
- Rwanda has a high HIV prevalence and is in great need of healthcare intervention
- The similarities between Rwanda and existing PIH target sites are significant enough to warrant the extension of the PIH model to this region
- The Rwandan government has demonstrated a serious commitment to combating HIV/AIDS in its country
- Financial support from the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative and other private donors will allow PIH to develop an effective program in Rwanda
- The “Four Pillars” of comprehensive HIV/AIDS care:
- HIV/AIDS prevention and antiretroviral treatment
- Supervised treatment of tuberculosis
- Treatment of sexually transmitted infections
- Improved women’s health services
- Recruit and train local health workers to establish a community-based health care system
- Recruit and train administrative and medical staff to strengthen the public health infrastructure in rural areas
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