Up & running: Docs in Chad power up GE’s medical aid

Our video series shot on the ground in Africa this summer has chronicled the often-difficult task of getting critical healthcare equipment to conflict and poverty-stricken communities in Chad. GE’s medical equipment — which was successfully delivered to three targeted hospitals — is helping to provide care to nearly 200,000 people, including 30,000 refugees from Darfur. In our third video in the series, the focus is on medical teams being given specific instruction on how to use the technology at Abeche hospital. While the staff had previously received training while in medical school, this is the first time that many of them have been able to use the equipment — which includes mobile x-rays, ultrasounds, baby warmers, patient monitors and fetal dopplers — in their actual jobs.

In 2008, GE and the GE Foundation donated $1.2 million to address the Darfur crisis, which has displaced thousands of people internally — and into neighboring Chad and Central African Republic. GE earmarked $500,000 of that commitment for healthcare equipment to support International Medical Corps’ humanitarian efforts. The remaining $700,000 was the GE Foundation’s emergency grant to International Medical Corps to help save lives alongside of efforts to expand healthcare capacity and to rebuild health infrastructure in Darfur, Chad, and the Central African Republic.

We’ll continue to track the donations as they are put to use through video blogs from IMC teams in the field. Updates will be posted as they arrive on www.ge.com/citizenship.

* Watch Part 1 of our video series
* Watch Part 2 of our video series
* Learn more about IMC’s work in Chad
* Learn about the GE Foundation’s disaster relief efforts
* Learn about GE’s Developing Health Globally program
* Learn more about GE’s healthymagination business strategy