Amref Health Africa

Amref Health Africa
Formation1957
FounderArchibald McIndoe
Sir Michael Wood
Tom Rees
Location
  • International HQ: Nairobi,
    Kenya
OriginsEast Africa
Area served
Africa
Members
12
Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO)
Dr Githinji Gitahi
Revenue
$255m
Employees2100
Volunteers
0
Websiteamref.org
Formerly called
African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF)

Amref Health Africa is a Kenyan-based non-governmental organization focused on providing community and environmental healthcare to countries in Africa. It is considered one of the most prominent health NGOs in Africa.[1]

History

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East African Flying Doctor Service Cessna 402B at its Nairobi (Wilson) Airport base in 1973

Originally known as The Flying Doctors of East Africa, Amref was founded in 1957 by Sir Archibald McIndoe, Sir Michael Wood and Dr. Thomas D. Rees.[2] While its original focus was to provide health services to patients in remote areas, they began providing education to other Africa-based health workers as early as the 1970s.[1][3]

During the 1980s and 90s, Amref expanded in scope, collaborating with other international aid agencies and working directly with the Ministries of Health in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda on community health based projects, with a focus on the prevention of HIV/AIDS.[4][3]

In the 2000s and 2010s, Amref performed thousands of reconstructive surgeries on Africans with cleft lip and cleft palate (CLP) alongside the non-profit organization Smile Train.[1]

The Flying Doctors of East Africa (film)

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In 1969, Amref was the subject of a documentary short by director Werner Herzog named "The Flying Doctors of East Africa", which was still the name of the organization at the time. Shooting took place on location in Tanzania and Kenya. According to Herzog, the film was successful in bringing publicity to the organization in its early days.[5]

Further reading

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Statue of founder Sir Archibald McIndoe in East Grinstead

Rees, Thomas D (2002). Daktari: A Surgeons Adventures with the Flying Doctors of East Africa. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press. ISBN 9780865343894

See also

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Leadership

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  • Group Chief Executive Officer: Githinji Gitahi, [6]
  • Amref UK CEO: Camilla Knox-Peebles
  • Amref USA CEO: Robert Kelty
  • Amref West Africa regional manager: Awa Dieye Dieng
  • Amref Kenya country director: Ndirangu Wanjuki

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hamze, Hasan; Mengiste, Asrat; Carter, Jane (2017). "The impact and cost-effectiveness of the Amref Health Africa-Smile Train Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Repair Programme in Eastern and Central Africa". Pan African Medical Journal. 28. doi:10.11604/pamj.2017.28.35.10344. ISSN 1937-8688. PMC 5697937.
  2. ^ Rees, Thomas D (2002). Daktari: A Surgeon’s Adventure’s with the Flying Doctors of East Africa. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press. p. 13. ISBN 9780865343894.
  3. ^ a b Nyambegera, Stephen Morangi; Gicheru, Caroline Njambi (2016). “Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors Influencing Employee Motivation: Lessons from AMREF Health Africa in Kenya”. International Journal of Business and Social Research (Volume 6, Issue 9)
  4. ^ "Manchuria Daily News, Issue dated 1936-10-01". Manchuria Daily News Online. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  5. ^ McRobert, G. R. (15 March 1969). "Flying Doctors in East Africa". BMJ. 1 (5645): 700–700. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5645.700. ISSN 0959-8138.
  6. ^ "Our Leadership". Amref Health Africa. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
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