LM International’s work in health is mainly directed towards the strengthening of health systems and preventive health care services, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as well as child and maternal health care. We also assist women subjected to gender-based violence (GBV) and have been providing support for the running operation of medical facilities.
Our efforts are focused on women, men, youth and children from the most vulnerable communities who often live in marginalised and humanitarian conditions. We work to ensure their well-being and good health by supporting quality general healthcare services provided by our partners’ facilities as well as creating an enabling environment for them to secure adequate living conditions, safe access to shelter and food sources. Our interventions include:
We also specifically target women and young girls living in the areas of greatest need to take informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, so that together with their newborns, they are cared during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period. We believe that addressing the root causes of gender-based violence is a key priority to secure a healthy, safe and prosperous life for women. That includes work towards overcoming the social and cultural norms and barriers around SRHR and GBV through our community training programmes.
We aspire to foster and catalyse innovation for disruptive, scalable solutions for the accomplishment of the bold goals on our global health agenda.
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Since its foundation by Dr Denis Mukwege in 1999, the DRC-based Panzi treatment centre for survivors of sexual violence has benefitted more than 70,000 women who suffered from rape or birth-related complications. In 2018, Dr Mukwege received the Nobel Peace Prize for his global efforts to end the use of rape as a weapon of war. Panzi provides survivors with compassionate, holistic care that includes medical treatment, psychosocial support, access to legal services, and socio-economic reintegration activities.
LM International and Denis Mukwege share a long common history. It was the funding from LM International, PMU and Sida which facilitated building of the Panzi Hospital. But LM International also provided aid to the Lemera Hospital, which existed before the Panzi and contributed to the cost of Denis Mukwege’s specialist training in France. LM International is currently Panzi Hospital’s largest Swedish donor. LM International’s funding is used to operate the hospital, with a focus on maternity care, neonatology, family planning and nutrition.
In 2019, LM International had the chance, in collaboration with the Mission Aviation Fellowship, to start a new aid operation out of Panzi Hospital. It was inspired by a wish that Dr. Mukwege expressed upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, to provide medical expertise and medical supplies from Panzi Hospital to surrounding, isolated and often substandard hospitals. In a country with scarce roads impassable during the rainy seasons, it often takes several days to reach these hospitals, but with a plane, transport time is drastically reduced and the doctors’ time can be used more efficiently. In September of 2019, we participated in the maiden flight to Shabunda whose 700,000 inhabitants live virtually off the grid. Joining us on the MAF plane were paediatrician Dr. Peter Mulindwa and gynaecologist Dr. Sylvie Mwambali from Panzi Hospital heading to the hospital embedded in greenery to provide the much-sought assistance.