Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Backs Every Girl Matters Appeal
We are delighted to have the support of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in the Every Girl Matters appeal. EMMS International shares a long history with RCPE going back to our founder members. The cooperation of today's medical community is vital in addressing global healthcare inequalities. At the launch of the appeal, Dr Conor Maguire, Vice President for International at RCPE, shared this message:
Never has it been more important than now, in today’s global climate, to step up our efforts to ensure accessible healthcare for those who are hardest to reach and most affected by poverty. Even before COVID-19 weighed in.
We are delighted to be partnering again with the Edinburgh based international healthcare charity, EMMS International, which was founded in 1841 in York Place, Edinburgh, by John Abercrombie. Today, EMMS International has a strong focus and expertise in bringing palliative care to low-income countries.
Three years ago, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh partnered with EMMS International in their UK Aid Match Chifundo project in Malawi to integrate palliative care services to the health service and develop palliative care in every district of the country. An article in The Herald newspaper described the impact of the Chifundo project as a revolution in palliative care.
Best practice and lessons learned from this project have helped shape their latest project, the Sunita project in Nepal, where they are systematically developing the same level of training, evidence and quality in palliative care. It is being funded through the ‘Every Girl Matters’ appeal, with donations from the public being matched pound for pound by the UK Government.
Led by EMMS International and implemented with its partner, INF Nepal, the Sunita project approach has three strategies, leaving no-one behind by creating a caring, equal and inclusive society thus transforming girls’ lives, ensuring quality clinical services and access to medication, and generating evidence as well as influencing policy. Together, these will have a bigger impact than each on its own.
It is an incredible project with an ambitious vision to transform palliative care provision across western Nepal. It is one we are proud to be part of and I wish the team at EMMS International every success in their appeal.
Donations to the Every Girl Matters appeal are being doubled by the UK government until 19 February 2021. As a result, they reach even further to bring quality care to rural communities and help young carers return to school.