Background  |  Strategic Alliances  |  Accomplishments  |  Map of Donations

Who We Are

Ivory Coast Medical Relief Team (ICMRT) is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization whose members are Ivorians, or friends of Côte d’Ivoire living in the United States of America. The organization holds 501.c.3 status and was incorporated in the State of Washington in February 2003.

ICMRT was originally dedicated to providing medical assistance to the displaced and refugee populations of the Ivory Coast from the 2002 civil war. It fulfilled this mission by providing medical supplies to these populations in partnership with other well-established US-based organizations. Since 2006, the mission has expanded to malaria prevention efforts with mosquito net distribution, and education in small rural areas.

ICMRT and its partner organizations are committed to providing assistance to those in need regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or political affiliation. Our knowledge of the country, its institutions and customs help break barriers and ensure that donated items are effectively used by recipients.
 

Background

On September 19, 2002, after 39 years of independence, Ivory Coast, a country known for political and economic stability, awoke to another rebel-led coup. It was the second in less than 3 years. While the coup was, like the first one, a failure, the heavily armed rebels made a strategic retreat to Bouake, the second largest city located in the center of the country, quickly took control of the northern half of the country. In the process, health care facilities, schools and other buildings controlled by the central government were ransacked or destroyed. The resulting de-facto partitioning of the country into rebel-controlled North and Government-controlled South created an unprecedented movement of internally displaced people (IDPs) fleeing the rebel-controlled areas. It also created an outflow of foreign immigrants (25 to 40% of the population) toward neighboring countries. To date this crisis has cost the lives of thousands of people, and also created a flood of refugees (nearly 1 million) whom international relief organizations attempted to shelter, feed, and keep free of diseases. Among these diseases are malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, meningitis and others, which government programs are no longer able to control. The World Health Organization issued a comprehensive report on the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire that highlights that 85% of medical personnel have left their posts, and at least 70% of health care facilities are not functioning. In the West, the appearance of two new rebel groups has created additional refugees. Sporadic fighting aggravated the situation further by making access to those refugees very difficult.

In order to respond to this emergency, and in anticipation of post-war health related needs, Ivory Coast Medical Relief Team (ICMRT) was created with a mission and vision to empower the people of Ivory coast to improve their healthcare.. The war may have ended, but its effects continue to be felt through the lack of basic health care. This effect is even greater in rural areas, which are responsible for the crops that feed the population. Diseases, such as malaria, are responsible for depressed productivity and absenteeism in school among children. ICMRT’s work is as relevant today as it was in 2003.
 

Strategic Alliances

ICMRT has chosen to work with non-governmental organizations operating in Ivory Coast primarily for unrestricted access to areas. Furthermore we are open to partnerships with any relief group willing to provide medical aid to Ivory Coast.

A. Our US Partners:

1. Northwest Medical Teams (NWMTI), Portland, OR.
Our first relief agency partner in the US is Portland-based Northwest Medical Teams, a non-profit humanitarian aid organization working to reduce suffering around the world and in the Pacific Northwest.  You may visit NWMTI at http://www.nwmti.org/.

2. Medical Assistance Program (MAP), Brunswick, GA Our other relief agency partner is Medical Assistance Program (MAP) from the Christian Medical and Dental Association, based in Brunswick, Georgia, with MAP-WA its west-african representation located in the Ivory Coast. A description of MAP may be found at http://www.map.org/ .

3. Mercy Corps, Portland, OR exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. You may visit Mercy Corps at http://www.mercycorps.org/

B. Our In-Country Partners:

4. Centre d’Entomologie Médicale et Vétérinaire (CEMV), Abidjan, Ivory Coast is our malaria project-execution partner. CEMV is one of five research and teaching institutions in the world specializing in tropical diseases carried by insects. 

5. Fondation Djigui, Abidjan, Ivory Coast is local non-profit organization and another malaria project partner. Djigui has helped with mosquito net storage and community mobilization efforts.

Accomplishments

Through multiple partnerships, ICMRT has shipped over 6 million dollars worth of medicines and medical aids to the Ivory Coast from 2003 through the middle of 2006. Most recently, we have started distributing long lasting mosquito nets. Our programs primarily target small villages in order to distribute mosquito nets to all households. Other specifics include the training of community health workers to recognize and refer severe cases of malaria to regional hospitals, to become the stewards of the environment in order to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds around dwellings and educate women groups in net maintenance..

ICMRT is making a difference one small village at a time. You can join in this effort with your support.

Respectfully,

Alain Adjorlolo, Ph. D
ICMRT Board President
Ivory Coast Medical Relief Team
 

Map of Donations