About the International Village Clinic (IVC)
In February 2002, IVC established a pilot project consisting of a curative program and a prevention program in one of the poorest areas of northern India. The curative program was to serve six to ten villages, with a total population of approximately 20,000. The prevention program began by serving one village. Both programs have since grown in all dimensions. We are now serving over 70 villages in our curative program and 48 villages in the prevention program.
Mission
International Village Clinic (IVC) is dedicated to bringing health and medical services to the poor villages of India. IVC is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization.
Regional Health Needs
At our inception there were no adequate basic medical facilities in these villages. An effective vaccination program did not exist. With the nearest hospital 50 miles away and poor road conditions, it took villagers at least half a day to get medical care. Fewer than 5% of the villagers can afford to pay a city doctor's fee. As a result, most patients depend upon unqualified practitioners, which are many in these villages. IVC began making changes when we opened our doors on February 12, 2002.
Major health issues before IVC's arrival included:
- Rampant nutritional deficiency. For example, babies develop cataracts due to vitamin A deficiency. This remains undetected and untreated due to the unavailability of medical services resulting in total blindness at the age of five to eight years.
- A large majority of women were and still are anemic due to the lack of nutrition, high childbirth (six to eight births per woman) and short interval between births (12 to 18 months).
- An ineffective vaccination program for babies and children.
- A high death rate of women during childbirth due to lack of adequate obstetric services.
- Tuberculosis was back and spreading at a high rate, but there was no treatment or prevention program in place.
- No system existed for attending to emergency cases or transporting them to a city hospital, resulting in prolonged illness or possibly death.
- Neither an adequate medical facility nor doctors were available for the treatement of common diseases as well as serious diseases. Common diseases include: fever, malaria, tuberculosis, joint pain, gastroenteritis, anemia, worm disease, respiratory disease and infections.
- Serious diseases, such as heart diseases, cancer, orthopedics, eye diseases, blood diseases, and kidney diseases were and are still on the rise.
IVC is making a difference. We have a long way to go.
Learn More
- Learn about IVC's long-term goals, history, programs.
- Find out who's on the IVC Board of Directors; learn about the staff in India.
- Catch up on the latest news from IVC; look back at past newsletters; check out the photo galleries.
- Learn how to help IVC by donating money or your skills and time and helping spread the word.
Content © 2003 International Village Clinic.