Medicus Mundi Italy (MMIt.)
Medicus Mundi Italy (MMIt.) is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) formally recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (D.M. 1988/128/4178/2D).
Founded in Brescia (1968) as a non profit making association, it is specialized in health cooperation. MMIt is a member of Medicus Mundi International, which deals with health care development in more than 50 countries (over 1000 projects carried out) and maintains official relationship with W.H.O. (resolution EB 63R27) Study Groups and general Assembly. MMIt aims at promoting peoples health by planning and implementing health activities, both in structural development and emergency situations.
Objectives and working methods
In cooperation with Private Non Profit Organizations and Public Institutions (Italian Ministry of foreign Affairs, European Union, United Nations Agencies), MMIt fosters the quality and efficiency of local health services by supporting primary community based health care, creating appropriate health structures and training doctors, nurses and technical staff. MMIt has full respect for local cultures and its projects always express the requests of local communities which participate from the beginning in planning and implementing the activities. MMIt is independent from any particular religion or political ideology. MMI cooperates with many local governmental and non-governmental institutions in the spirit of partnership.
Activities
In almost forty years of activity, MMI has worked in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Eastern Europe and Italy, realizing a number of services:
- Renovation and organization of missionary hospitals and/or public hospitals, which were equipped with new medical and radiological devices.
- Construction, equipment and management of outpatients’ departments in urban as well as rural areas, in particular in areas where no health service was previously provided.
- Basic health services, community development programs with particular reference to environmental hygiene and sanitary education, also through the specific and-hoc courses for women, young people, families.
- Training of social-sanitary personnel at any level (doctors, nurse, obstetricians, clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, health agents). Inter alia, we highlight the “Dental Therapists” courses in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), the “Aid to Rehabilitation” course in Rilima (Rwanda), and, more recently, our qualifying courses for teachers, lawyers, doctors, psychologists, and social assistant who help abused children.
- Emergency interventions to front natural disasters as well as those caused by inappropriate human actions.
- Cooperation with the public hospital of Brescia (Italy) for AIDS care and policy, with the launch of the innovative “Esther project”. This cooperation has been in place for more than six years.
- Supply of basic drugs and medical devices.
- Tropical diseases Training Course. This is run by MMI and the Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department of the University of Brescia. It is a three weeks, full time course in tropical medicine that gives 50 CME credits. It is specially designed for physicians, nurses and other staff who intend to work in developing countries. The course combines clinical experience, practical laboratory work and a series of lectures and seminars, designed to provide participants with clinical and factual knowledge that will form the basis of professional competence in tropical medicine.
Human Resources
MMIt staff includes specialists in health care planning and management, primary health care and community medicine, health education and training, tropical medicine. MMIt is therefore able to carry on all the different phases of health care projects:
- feasibility study and project drafting;
- selection and training of expatriating staff;
- realization and management of health structures;
- procurement and installation of medical equipment and supply of essential drugs;
- health education and local personnel training;
- project supervision and evaluation.
Organization and structure
MMIt is ruled by:
a General Assembly that plans the activities of the Organization, approves the annual budget and elects the President and the Board of Directors;
- a Board of Directors that runs the Organization following the lines indicated by the Assembly;
- a National Secretariat responsible for the operative structure.
Financing
MMIt activities are made possible by self financing and by contributions of supporting groups. For specific projects MMIt is also funded by the Italian Government, European Union, and United Nations Agencies
For more information please visit http://www.medicusmundi.it
Contact
Medicus Mundi Italia
Via Martinengo da Barco 6/a
252121 Brescia
Tel.: 030-3752517
Fax: 030-43266
E-mail: info@medicusmundi.it
