Today, September 29th, we celebrate World Heart Day. This year the day focuses on creating healthy heart environments by ensuring that everyone has the chance to make healthy heart choices wherever they live, work and play. World Heart Day encourages us all to reduce cardiovascular…
Oral health is a fundamental component of general health, and there is a global need for oral health care. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers oral disease a major public health problem that, when untreated, results in pain and suffering,…
“I developed the desire to manage musculoskeletal ailments during my undergraduate training when there was a rapid increase in musculoskeletal trauma due to road traffic accidents in the country,” writes Dr. Isaac Kajja, the Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics…
The 2014 Annual Report for Health Volunteers Overseas is available online. This annual report highlights the contribution of our volunteers, members and donors to improving global health. In 2014, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa brought to light a critical…
August 1, 2015 marked the 29th anniversary of Health Volunteers Overseas. Since 1986, HVO staff and volunteers have collaborated with a variety of health institutions to design, develop and implement each HVO project, working toward better patient care around the…
This month, we have been highlighting essential traits for successful volunteers. We discussed how HVO volunteers succeed by keeping their minds open and adjusting to unforeseen circumstances, as well as the importance of patience and innovation when volunteering in resource-scarce countries.…
Earlier this month, we highlighted two important traits of successful volunteers – flexibility and openness. We discussed how HVO volunteers succeed by keeping their minds open and adjusting to unforeseen circumstances; we shared first-hand accounts that highlighted the importance of…
At HVO, our volunteers are agents of change. They build local capacity by providing health care professionals in resource-scarce countries with knowledge and skills to address the needs of their communities. The mission that HVO volunteers undertake is demanding –…
The Lancet Global Health open-access journal launched a special issue focused on Global Surgery this month. In the wake of the launch of their Commission on Global Surgery and in anticipation of the World Health Organization’s 68th World Health Assembly,…
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its World Health Statistics report – an annual assessment of a range of mortality, disease and health system indicators taken from 194 countries around the world. The report has long served as…
Health Volunteers Overseas is now accepting applications for the Wyss Scholarship for Future Leaders in Global Health. This scholarship will support professional development opportunities for health care providers at our project sites, providing funding for our colleagues abroad to attend…
World Health Worker Week – celebrated for the third consecutive year, runs from April 5-11. This week serves as an opportunity to mobilize communities, partners, and policy makers in support of health workers around the world. It is a time…