Non-profit organisations like ourselves play a critical role in plugging the huge gaps that exist in global healthcare systems.
The Shocking Statistics on Global Surgical Needs
Today, 1.75 billion children around the world don’t have access to safe surgery. It is estimated that 30% of the global burden of disease is treatable with surgery, yet in LMICs as much as 87% of the surgical need remains unmet and the vast majority of those will be children who don’t have access to the operation they need*.
Addressing Barriers to Safe and Timely Surgery
The lack of access to safe and timely surgery around the world is now a bigger killer of children than malaria, HIV and TB combined. Conditions that could easily be operated on like hernias and appendicitis kill, and injuries such as burns from a cooking fire result in lifelong disabilities and birth malformations go untreated. A lack of skilled surgeons, equipment, facilities, transport and investment all add up to prevent children from getting the life-saving and life-changing medical care they need.
The statistics are shocking and they would undoubtedly be worse if it weren’t for non-profits.
How Non-Profits Like Humanity Direct Make an Impact
As we head towards the 2030 United Nations target of Universal Healthcare non-profits like Humanity Direct are leading the way in showing that there are simple solutions to prioritising safe and timely surgery for children when they need it.
Non-profits like ourselves offer programs and services that might not otherwise be available like free or low-cost medical care, preventive services, and health education.
And again like, Humanity Direct, they can often prevent parents and carers from seeking alternative healthcare that can sometimes worsen a condition or take on a catastrophic expenditure that leaves them in serious debt and unable to pay school fees or buy food.
How Non-Profits Like Humanity Direct Make an Impact
Non-profits also play a vital role in community health initiatives, from vaccination drives to health screenings, ensuring that preventive care, like our Glasses for Classes program, stops conditions from deteriorating and resulting in serious consequences like children leaving school because they can’t see their studies or needing a far more complex operation because an injury was never treated properly.
At Humanity Direct we’ve looked at all the barriers that prevent children from getting the safe and timely surgery they need and have removed them by providing transport, arranging surgery and providing post-op care.
The Socio-Economic Benefits of Non-Profit Healthcare
The socio-economic benefits of non-profit healthcare programs are profound as improving health outcomes in turn greatly enhances the economic productivity of communities.
Healthy individuals are more likely to work, attend school, and participate in community activities, contributing to the overall economic and social vitality of their communities. Furthermore, non-profits often create jobs and volunteer opportunities, stimulating local economies and fostering a sense of community involvement and support.
Transforming Lives Through Non-Profit Healthcare
On an individual level, our success stories highlight the transformative impact non-profits like Humanity Direct can have and are full of our patients and their families showing how, having received the medical care they need, they’re now pain-free and able to return to school or just run and play with their friends again.
We’re proud of the work that we’re doing to close the healthcare gap but we know that there is so much more to do and we’re striving to become a leading non-profit directly providing safe and timely surgery for children in low-income countries.
Join Us in Closing the Healthcare Gap
If you would like to donate to help fund an operation please visit our patient page:
Or become a regular donor to our Universal Fund and help us plan our clinics in advance.
