It’s flu season again—or is it? Actually, it depends on where you are. In the Northern Hemisphere, flu season is October to May, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s June to October. No matter where you catch it, the flu is caused by a virus—unlike some other respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, which can be …
As a longtime emergency care nurse, Mary-Jane (“MJ”) Perry has witnessed innumerable traumas. But it was a local incident—responding to a hit-and-run one block from her home in Sacramento, California—that “really hit home” and put her on the path to volunteering in responses to natural disasters around the world. In January 2018, MJ found a …
International Medical Corps has been active in the United States and its territories since 2005, responding to emergencies including Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, Shira Goldstein, Deputy Director of Country Planning and Programs for the US, talks about how responses in our home country differ from those in other countries. There are so …
Tuberculosis—also referred to as TB—is a bacterial infection that can cause serious illness or even death if left untreated. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease with a variety of symptoms. There are two types of TB, based on the sites of infection: pulmonary TB, which infects the lungs, and extra pulmonary (meaning outside the lungs) …
Supporting Sudanese Refugees in Libya The ongoing conflict in Sudan has displaced more than 11 million people, with more than 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. By the end of 2024, Libya hosted approximately 215,000 Sudanese refugees. In Kufra, hundreds of refugees arrive daily at informal camps—yet healthcare facilities remain severely understaffed, lacking essential …
Around the world, people continue to be displaced by conflict and natural disasters. Whether they are fleeing conflict in Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria or Ukraine, or natural disaster right here in the United States, International Medical Corps is there to help them recover and rebuild when they’ve left everything behind. Jordan “Without these facilities, they would …
Helping Earthquake-Affected Communities in Ethiopia On December 4, 2024, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Awash Fentale district in Ethiopia, displacing families and devastating communities across seven districts. This was the most significant in a series of tremors that have rocked the region since September, forcing tens of thousands of people to seek safer areas. …
Over the past 40 years, International Medical Corps has responded to the world’s most pressing disasters, providing medical care and supplies, clean water and nutrition, mental health, protection and other services to families affected by conflict, disaster and disease. And true to our founding principle, we focus on training communities to become their own first …
For more than 40 years, from our first humanitarian response in Afghanistan in 1984 through wars in Gaza and Ukraine and hurricanes in the Southeastern US in 2024, together we’ve helped communities devastated by war, disaster and disease go from relief to self-reliance, bringing health and hope to millions of people.
When disaster strikes, mental health can plummet, as communities face the stress of continued and overwhelming chaos and uncertainty, as well as the devastating loss of homes, livelihoods and loved ones. International Medical Corps is one of the few humanitarian organizations working globally that prioritizes the treatment of mental health needs in humanitarian crises. Our …