MAY 30, 2023, AUSTIN, TX – Clinics IV Life, a Texas-based not-for-profit led by a global team of global humanitarians working to counter the climbing rate of maternal mortality in emerging nations, announced yesterday that it has commenced construction in the Philippines on the first of its new hybrid charity-built/self-sustaining clinics that will offer free maternal care to unemployed, destitute mothers and their newborn.
The clinics, spread over two floors and 180 sqm, will house a resident OB-GYN and pediatrician with access to the latest medical technology. Expectant mothers will also benefit from on-site birthing facilities in a country with high maternal mortality. The pilot clinics will be built in Albay, a rural region of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest island. The Philippines is home to approx. 140 million people, many of whom still live below the poverty line.
“Statistics tell the relentless story of needless suffering and death,” reflects Clinics IV Life Founder. Robert Turner. “For decades we’ve thrown billions of dollars in aid each year at the problem. It remains and, in many instances, worsens year to year. Historical charitable models are flawed.” Turner adds: “Clinics IV Life was launched by seasoned health professionals who seek to address these shortcomings in novel ways. Our hybrid clinic model removes the need for continued donor funding and integrates into local healthcare systems, removing the dependencies created by historical charitable efforts.”
Each clinic aims to treat 1000 indigent patients annually, making inroads on the high maternal and infant mortality levels plaguing developing nations. The first of the three clinics earmarked for Luzon will open in 2024, followed by openings in late 2024 and 2025. Access to care remains one of the critical reasons mothers die in childbirth. The leading causes of maternal mortality in the Philippines – like in many emerging nations – include challenges that can be prevented with medical oversight, such as bleeding, infection, unsafe abortion, hypertensive disorders and obstructed labor.
Their clinic model relies on a unique shared practice agreement that ensures its clinics are self-sustaining, removing the need for the continued use of donor funds beyond construction and equipping a site. The Not-for-Profit plans to extend its reach into India, Africa and other Asian countries during the next three years.
Unlike traditional charitable models, Clinics for Life will not seek funding from the general public.
“We form close corporate partnerships with companies that serve the maternal and newborn health markets and share our vision. Our clinic model offers the best ROI in terms of corporate giving. We pair each clinic with a corporate partner and for a single donation a company can generate more than 30 years of health impact in a community. It’s a gift that keeps on giving; both for the patients and the donors,” says Kemi Olugemo, chair of Clinics IV Life’s Fundraising Board, on their approach to funding.
Every minute, around the globe, four newborns die; every two minutes, an expectant woman dies, often in childbirth. It is estimated that 85% of these deaths, primarily occurring in developing countries, are avoidable with access to proper medical care. In India alone last year, 2.7 million babies were stillborn, and nearly 600 thousand died in their first month.
Historically, women suffer more from health inequalities and require more complex medical interventions than their male counterparts on a more frequent basis. Access to procedures taken for granted in developed nations, like ultrasounds and fetal monitoring, are luxuries in developing countries, only affordable to those with money.
Clinics IV Life was created specifically to address these health inequities that are commonplace in emerging nations. Their hybrid clinic model overcomes continued reliance on donor funding by creating self-sustaining businesses, obviating the need for financial donor support to ensure the ongoing success of each clinic. Donor funds are only utilized for the construction and equipping of a clinic.
Clinics IV Life views every element of the patient-provider ecosystem as being of equal value, and places great emphasis on ensuring its doctors, nurses and staff can serve their patients in a safe, secure and welcoming environment while having access to the latest medical technology and training and a global network of knowledge provided by colleagues who selflessly volunteer their time and skills.
The Clinics IV Life board of directors includes physicians, pharmacists, psychologists, public health professionals and business leaders who have brought their knowledge, connections and resources to this needed cause.
Find out more by visiting: https://clinics4life.com/
Kemi Olugemo, MD, FAAN
Board Chair, Fundraising
Tel: +1 (781) 226 0429
Email: kemi.olugemo@clinics4life.com
Gil Bashe
Board Chair, Executive
Cell: +1 (732) 371-0922
Email: gil.bashe@finnpartners.com
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