Teaching Preparedness in North Carolina
Most national, state and local governments plan for large-scale disasters—floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes—but preparing for such disasters can be challenging, especially for smaller communities.
International Medical Corps frequently works in unpredictable scenarios—the “edge cases” that might not be covered even by the most robust plans, such as large-scale sudden-onset disasters, and outbreaks of conflict or infectious disease. Because many of the places where we work are experiencing extreme situations—for example, war, drought and economic collapse—we know how to be resourceful and efficient in low-resource settings, where relying on traditional infrastructure isn’t an option.
That’s why leaders at Good Samaritan Clinic and High Country Community Health—major providers of healthcare for uninsured and underserved residents in Western North Carolina—turned to members of our Emergency Response Unit for preparedness training.
Clinic staff participated in tabletop exercises in which they learned practical skills for crisis communication during emergencies, working through how to make decisions under pressure, keep patients safe and continue providing care as conditions changed. The exercises highlighted the importance of clear communication among clinic staff, community health workers, patients, emergency responders and community partners. Participants also explored how to recognize and respond to community health needs—especially for people most at risk—while supporting evacuation and sheltering efforts and ensuring continued access to medical and mental health care. The training sessions helped to identify real‑world challenges and define practical steps to be better prepared for future emergencies.
Ensuring Access to Healthcare in Lebanon
Despite a temporary ceasefire and ongoing negotiations, the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon continues to worsen. International Medical Corps is working alongside local and national authorities to deliver lifesaving healthcare.
Lebanon’s already fragile health system is under severe strain. Damage to hospitals, roads, water systems and power networks is disrupting essential services just as needs are rising. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, with more than 121,000 living in shelters. Many families can’t access care for chronic illnesses, maternal and child health, or mental health support. Families unable to return to their homes are struggling to access even basic healthcare.
Our teams are supporting primary health centers throughout the country and sending mobile medical units to reach people where services are limited or unavailable. We’ve delivered more than 8,300 consultations through the primary healthcare centers we support, in addition to 10,000+ mobile medical consultations across 115 shelters. We’re providing routine vaccinations, treating acute and chronic conditions, offering nutrition screening and mental health support, and referring patients for advanced care. We’re also screening for malnutrition and providing nutrition support to children under 5 and pregnant women. And we’re providing health education to decrease the risk of disease outbreaks in shelters.
As humanitarian needs across the region grow more complex, we’re ready to further expand our emergency response—helping communities to stay healthy even during prolonged displacement.
Providing Lifesaving Medical Care Amid Conflict in Gaza
As peace negotiations continue in Gaza, life for civilians remains unstable. The level of destruction has made it difficult or impossible for people to return to their homes. With limited access to essential supplies and a lack of functional services, many families have no choice but to remain in tents and temporary shelters amid deteriorating living conditions.
International Medical Corps has provided lifesaving health services and support in Gaza since 2008. Today, we’re delivering emergency medical care to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.
Approximately 90% of people in Gaza have been forced out of their homes by the war, and the conflict has severely limited the availability of health services. To meet the urgent needs of displaced civilians, we run three fully equipped field hospitals.
At our hospitals, families can get emergency and trauma care, obstetric and newborn care, nutrition, child protection and vaccination services, mental health support, and services to address violence against women and girls. We also provide access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as medicines, supplies and training.
Our hospitals in Gaza have a combined capacity of 400+ beds and help as many as 4,000 civilians per day. Since opening our first field hospital in January 2024, we have provided more than 1 million health consultations and services.
Overcoming Stigma and Misinformation in Ethiopia
Stigma and misinformation can hinder an emergency response—a big problem when delays can cost lives. From decades of experience providing lifesaving healthcare and support within communities and deep expertise gained through multiple infectious disease responses, International Medical Corps has learned that engaging the community is critical to the success of any response.
In Jinka, a remote town in Ethiopia, early reports of a possible outbreak of Marburg virus disease were widely dismissed. Some people believed the deaths were caused by poisoning, while others thought the outbreak wasn’t real. This misinformation led to unsafe behaviors that greatly increased the risk of the disease spreading. For example, families continued traditional funeral practices when loved ones died, including hugging and kissing the bodies.
At the request of the government of Ethiopia, our team moved swiftly to engage the community and communicate information about how to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. The team focused on dispelling myths, reducing stigma and strengthening awareness so community members could spot warning signs and report health problems early.
Through local training, door-to-door visits, community dialogues, mobile campaigns and other public-awareness tactics, our team was able to bridge gaps, raise awareness and change behavior. This community outreach strategy was part of our larger response that included the construction and support of a Marburg treatment unit, training of local health workers, deployment of disease prevention and control experts, and more.
In just under two-and-a-half months—after 40 days of no new cases—Ethiopia declared the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak. The following day, our team attended an event marking the end of the outbreak, where the Ministry of Health, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and the South Ethiopia Regional Health Bureau recognized the efforts of International Medical Corps in helping to bring the outbreak to an end.
Supporting Menstruation Education in Syria
Because many adolescent girls in Syria skip school each month during their periods due to a lack of sanitary products, inadequate water and sanitation facilities at school, and stigma around menstruation, we hold regular menstrual hygiene management awareness sessions for girls at women’s and girls’ safe spaces run by our Syria team, including in Raqqa. The sessions provide a safe and confidential environment where girls can talk openly about menstruation, learn about menstrual cycles—including physical and psychological changes—and discover safe and healthy ways to manage their periods. Our team answered questions and addressed misconceptions, enabling the girls to increase their awareness, build confidence and take charge of their personal health.
With this knowledge, they are now better able to participate fully in their education—which can provide them with the skills and confidence needed to help break cycles of poverty and strengthen communities.
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International Medical Corps is a global first responder that delivers emergency medical and related services to those affected by conflict, disaster and disease, no matter where they are, no matter the conditions. We also train people in their communities, providing them with the skills they need to recover, chart their own path to self-reliance and become effective first responders themselves. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, we are a nonprofit with no religious or political affiliation, and now have more than 8,000 staff members around the world, 96% of whom are locally hired. Since our founding, we have operated in more than 80 countries, and have provided more than $4.2 billion in emergency relief and training to communities worldwide.
Our staff includes experts in emergency medicine, infectious disease, nutrition, mental health, maternal and infant health, gender-based violence prevention and treatment, training, and water, sanitation and hygiene, all within the humanitarian context.
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