New York, United States of America
Founded in 1928 and rooted in the healing
Cebu, Iloilo, Nueva Ecija, Southern Leyte
ministry of Jesus, Catholic Medical Mission
calamities. Their residents were given free
quality healthcare programs and services,
without discrimination, to people in need
In 1966, under Fr. Joseph Walter, SJ, CMMB
began providing funds to worthy healthcare
volunteers to serve the most needy people
in the most underserved regions of the world.
CMMB’s medical shipments surpassed $630
In the Philippines, CMMB donated primary
healthcare medicines to Home-Reach Foundation or HRF, a
2004 Banaag Awardee, to support mission clinics, Adopt-a-
Through the Medical Volunteer Program, it has placed
Hospital Program and the Gift of Life corrective heart surgery
licensed healthcare professionals at faith-based health
program. Over 200,000 patients have been treated at
facilities throughout the developing world.
public hospitals and mission clinics with year-round donations
The organization also implements various health programs
throughout the world pursuant to its aims of providing
The two organizations also teamed up to implement a 3-
medical care to those in countries with limited resources.
year maternal health initiative called “Mama Make Me
First, it undertakes the Born to Live Program to prevent
Healthy”. The program was undertaken in partnership with
mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The program provides
the Provincial Government of Bohol, through the Provincial
counseling and testing for HIV to pregnant women and
treatment to prevent transmission of the virus to newborns
Health Office, the City Government of Tagbilaran City and
during childbirth. CMMB is a member of the AIDS Relief
10 district hospitals. Vitamins and micronutrients were
Consortium working to expand the delivery of anti-retroviral
provided to approximately 300,000 pregnant and lactating
therapies to people living with AIDS in Africa, Latin American
women in Bohol. The implementation was conducted by
and the Carribean. It has also provided physical
barangay health workers trained through a grant from
examination and treatment to more than 230,000 children
CMMB. Long term results showed increased birth weight,
in Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and the
fewer birth anomalies, reduced mortality and improved
Dominican Republic in relation to its program for the
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness aimed at
saving the lives of children under five years of age by
providing primary healthcare, family education and
CMMB has also assisted numerous organizations working
healthcare worker training for preventable diseases.
in the Philippines with donations of life-saving medicines
Moreover, the organization has worked in conjunction with
valued at more than $50 million since 1999. Among those
other agencies to provide humanitarian relief to refugees
notable projects implemented in 2007 are typhoon relief
affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with
(part of $3.4 million relief shipments for four countries hit by
over $19 million in pharmaceutical and emergency relief
natural disasters), and a shipment of medicines and medical
supplies provided. Donations were made to relieve those
supplies at the request of Bukas – Loob Diyos Foundation for
affected by civil unrest and political instability through
maintenance of critical health services.
its medical mission to the Philippines, specifically in Lingayen,Pangasinan which were provided with antibiotics,
Notable among its achievements in 2004 is the support
analgesics, antacids, topical creams and anti-diarrheals.
given to those affected by the Asian tsunami. Shipment of
Universal Heart International Relief Services was provided
medicines and medical supplies valued at $4.7 million were
with one box of Zocor to be shipped to their program in
sent to healthcare facilities in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, which
the Philippines, Missionaries of the Poor Sisters, which serves
helped treat thousands who were injured as a result of
calamities. Other disaster relief efforts include assistance to
those affected by May 2006 earthquake around Bantul,
According to HRF, the organization has also provided
Indonesia and Hurricane Stan in Guatemala, El Salvador
assistance to other areas in the Philippines, such as Bulacan,
In conferring the Kaanib ng Bayan Award to the Catholic Medical Mission Board, the President recognizes its humanitarian efforts for the poorest of the poor citizens of developing countries around the world, especially in the Philippines.
HIV: BASIC FACTS ABOUT THE DISEASE HIV - Human Immune Deficiency Virus • HIV is a retrovirus. • HIV attacks the immune system, which helps defend the body against infections. Over a period of time, the virus overwhelms the immune system. The body is thennot able to successfully defend itself from opportunistic infections. • The virus targets a cell known as the T4 lymphocyte. • It
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