The Baxter International Foundation and Direct Relief Launch a Mobile Health Initiative Bringing Life-Saving Medical Treatment and Education to Hundreds of Thousands in Mexico City
DEERFIELD, Ill. & SANTA BARBARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Driving Your Health (Manejando tu Salud), a mobile health program
that deploys medical teams to communities in Mexico City with limited
access to health services, was launched today by The Baxter
International Foundation and the global humanitarian organization Direct
Relief.
”This unique collaboration brings healthcare services directly to those
who are unable to access care due to lack of transportation, the cost of
transportation or the inability to take time off from work to get their
healthcare needs addressed,” said Stacey Eisen, Baxter International
Foundation President. ”The Foundation is proud to be able to support
the local community in this way and bring quality healthcare to more
people.”
Funded by a $2.25 million grant from the Baxter International Foundation
— and working in collaboration with the Mexican Association of Malta,
House of Friendship for Children with Cancer I.A.P. and Mexican
Association of Diabetes, Mexico City A.C. — the three-year initiative
aims to provide direct healthcare services for 40,000 patients and
health education, prevention, and awareness training to an additional
310,000 individuals.
Although Mexico City and the State of Mexico overall have higher living
standards than many regions of the country, they have pockets of extreme
poverty with many individuals who are often disconnected from available
health services.
”Driving Your Health recognizes that, for too many people, the benefits
of healthcare are beyond reach, and that new approaches are needed,”
said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief president and CEO. ”Direct Relief is
delighted to collaborate with Baxter on this initiative to improve the
health and lives of those in need.”
A mobile unit comprised of 4 doctors and 10 nurses will travel to 50
different locations each year to screen and provide essential
health services to people in need. Program staff will also provide
pediatric oncology patients with transportation to medical facilities
that specialize in the treatments they require. The program will train
doctors to support patient self-management of chronic diseases, as well
as provide hundreds of thousands of individuals with educational
resources. To maintain the program at the end of three years, Direct
Relief will develop local sponsorships and general fund raising, hire a
Director of Corporate Relations for development and local program
management and establish a Mexican Mobile Health Advisory Board.
These efforts will be supplemented by the contributions of Baxter
employees in Mexico City and its surrounding manufacturing facilities in
Mexico volunteering their technical expertise, assisting mobile medical
teams during patient screenings, and packing personal care kits.
”Consistent with Baxter’s mission of saving and sustaining lives, this
program allows us to provide the underserved people in our local
community with access to much-needed health services,” said Jaime
Upegui, Baxter Mexico General Manager.
About Baxter
Baxter provides a broad portfolio of essential renal and hospital
products, including home, acute and in-center dialysis; sterile IV
solutions; infusion systems and devices; parenteral nutrition;
biosurgery products and anesthetics; and pharmacy automation, software,
and services. The company’s global footprint and the critical nature of
its products and services play a key role in expanding access to
healthcare in emerging and developed countries. Baxter’s employees
worldwide are building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical
breakthroughs to advance the next generation of healthcare innovations
that enable patient care.
About Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation
Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation are committed to saving
and sustaining lives. Every day, Baxter employees strive to make a
meaningful difference in the lives of people who depend on Baxter
products, and in the communities where employees live and work. The
company focuses on advancing three core areas: improving access to
healthcare; fostering tomorrow’s innovation and serving its communities.
Baxter works closely with public and private partners around the world
to ensure people have access to the healthcare they need, to develop the
next generation of innovators who will lead the way in advancing care,
and to create long-lasting impact in Baxter’s communities. The Baxter
International Foundation supports initiatives and organizations that
make a positive, lasting impact on increasing access to healthcare for
the disadvantaged and underserved.
About Direct Relief
Direct Relief provides humanitarian medical aid in Mexico, the United
States, and more than 70 countries, with a mission to improve the health
and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. Among other
distinctions, Direct Relief has earned a perfect score of 100 from
independent evaluator Charity Navigator, has been named among the
world’s ten most innovative nonprofits by Fast Company, and has received
the CECP Directors’ Award, the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit
Innovation and the President’s Award from Esri for excellence in GIS
mapping. For more information, please visit http://www.DirectRelief.org.
Contacts
Direct Relief
Tony Morain, 530-574-5707
TMorain@directrelief.org
or
Baxter
Erin
Abbey, 224-948-2349
media@baxter.com
