Blog

Addressing Women’s Health Needs

Women in Ethiopia

On Sunday, March 8, the world celebrated International Women’s Day. The United Nations called the day “a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have…

Influencing Your Career by Volunteering Overseas

Happy Patients in Cambodia

Volunteers are the human face of HVO’s mission – they develop profound friendships during their rotations overseas, learn about the realities of delivering care in a truly resource-scarce environment, and build relationships of trust that facilitate the exchange of ideas…

We Need Nurses

Nurses make up 60-80% of the global health workforce, delivering as much as 90% of all health care services. They are essential to strong health systems and ensuring access to care around the world. The infographic below shares nursing numbers…

Global Cancer Care – Not Beyond Us

Oncology in Honduras

We will observe World Cancer Day on Wednesday, February 4th. The day presents a unique opportunity to focus on positive and proactive approaches to the fight against cancer.  This year, the day highlights that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer,…

SEA-HVO Fellows: A Chance to Teach and to Learn

SEA Fellow with Local Proivders

With the support of individual donors and groups, the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA) and HVO offer a number of fellowship opportunities to senior anesthesia residents to teach at HVO’s anesthesia project sites each year. SEA-HVO FELLOWSHIPS Applications available…

Empowered Health Workers: The Key to Stronger Health Systems

An HVO volunteers shares her expertise in maternal health with nurses in India

As we reach the Millennium Development Goals deadline in 2015, the global health community faces the exciting, though difficult challenge, of developing a new strategy to improve global health. As we move into 2015, Health Volunteers Overseas will continue its…

Request: Review and Research on Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health

Nurse and HVO Volunteer in Uganda

Health Volunteers Overseas is a member of the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) – a partnership of national governments, civil society, international agencies, finance institutions, researchers, educators and professional associations dedicated to developing solutions to the global health workforce crisis.…

Health Systems – Key to Addressing the Ebola Crisis

Health workers during lecture

The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa has consumed global health news this fall. As of October 19th, there were 9,935 cases and 4,877 deaths, with widespread transmission in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Travel-associated and localized transmissions have occurred…

Expanding Mental Health Services in Bhutan

HVO volunteers see incredible sites.

Friday, October 10th was World Mental Health – a day to reflect on the mental health challenges faced around the world. According the World Health Organization: Mental, neurological, and substance use disorders are common in all regions of the world,…

Oral Health – Why it Matters

Local dentists providing care.

Oral health around the world means more than strong and health teeth; as the World Health Organization’s Oral Health Programme highlights: [Oral health] is integral to general health and essential for well-being. It implies being free of chronic oro-facial pain,…

Celebrating Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy in Haiti

Today is World Physical Therapy Day – a day to celebrate the work of physical therapists around the world. HVO currently operates eight physical therapy projects in Asia, South America, Central America, Africa and the Caribbean, with sponsorship support from…

Honoring the Humanitarian Heroes of Global Health

Local Ugandan Health Providers

Tomorrow, August 19th will mark World Humanitarian Day. It’s a day that commemorates lives that have been lost in humanitarian service and celebrates the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world – and, this year, it affords us the…