OBI s Global Strategy

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1 OBI s Global Strategy Operation Blessing International (OBI) is a humanitarian relief organization that provides assistance to people in need throughout the United States and around the world through the following programs: Medical Aid Disaster Relief Orphan Care Clean Water Solutions Hunger Relief Community Development Under the banner of Medical Aid, OBI has initiated a variety of strategic partnerships and special projects targeting community health and medical relief. OBI has a three step global health strategy for strengthening local health systems and improving access to quality medical care for individuals in resource-limited circumstances. supply product: Equipping hospitals and clinics with medicine and diagnostic machines which decrease the financial burden of the health facility, allowing them to provide a higher quality of care, at no charge to their patients. provide treatment: Improving access to health care in the country s poorest regions by conducting mobile medical campaigns in the most geographically isolated areas. offer training: Develop strategic partnerships by offering educational programs to medical professionals as a way to create long-term sustainable improvement in healthcare around the world. Additionally, provide training for local volunteers on disease management practices, so they can serve as Community Health Workers Global Health Statistics Our global health efforts resulted in the support of 64 hospitals, 126 rural clinics, and 266 medical brigades, impacting thousands of individuals. Over 661,000 pounds of medicines and medical supplies shipped internationally to support our global health efforts. OBI shipped 53 containers of pharmaceuticals and relief items.

2 Community Health Programs Operation Blessing International s (OBI) community health programs address the greatest public health needs in developing countries by providing primary care to people who would otherwise have limited to no access to adequate medicine. OBI trains Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the areas of hygiene, nutrition, infectious diseases, clean water, first aid and management of medicines. OBI supplies each CHW with a backpack of medicines and medical supplies allowing them to treat individuals on an ongoing basis with the guidance of OBI s staff physician. The CHWs graduate from training equipped to serve their community with life-saving medical services. OBI provides additional medical services primarily through the following: medical brigades Because many patients lack reliable transportation or are too ill to travel to available clinics or hospitals, OBI operates medical brigades which are staffed with physicians, nurses and other ancillary medical professionals. These brigades operate as mobile clinics, providing individuals in remote areas with personalized healthcare that they would not otherwise not be able to receive. On a weekly basis OBI staff will serve between individuals per brigade by administering general medicine, dental, ophthalmology, gynecology and vaccine services. rural clinics Some remote communities might have the blessing of a clinic nearby, however these rural clinics are commonly under-funded and thus lack the basic medicines to care for the people. OBI provides these rural outposts with medicines and medical supplies to help stock the shelves with essential medicines, thereby allowing these clinics to provide the treatment needed for the community. These services and pharmaceuticals are offered at no cost to the patients thanks to the generosity of OBI donors. in-country hospitals OBI is proud to work with in-country hospitals by donating GIK medicine to offset the cost of providing quality medical care to the communities they serve. With this newfound financial freedom, hospitals are able to provide more free medical services to those who are unable to pay, and to reinvest the finances that would have otherwise been used for medicines. Hospitals can afford to hire more doctors and improve their diagnostic tools, resulting in improved quality of care. OBI also acts as a conduit between the immense knowledge base of medical expertise in the United States and hospitals in resource-poor countries, designing and implementing doctor-to-doctor training seminars which allow US doctors to bring the latest technology and skills to developing countries.

3 Mayo Clinic Partnership The long-standing partnership between OBI and the Mayo Clinic has resulted in programs currently operating in El Salvador and Honduras. In El Salvador education is provided through a series of videos produced by the Mayo Clinic with assistance from the OBI El Salvador team. The first video promotes awareness of respiratory diseases such as asthma and tuberculosis (TB) with instructions for managing TB treatments. An additional video addresses the importance of continued medical care for HIV-positive patients. The videos are disseminated to Ministry of Health clinics to be used as teaching tools for medical staff, as well as patients. The OBI Mayo partnership in El Salvador also offers bronchoscopy training. The initial instruction began with the Mayo Clinic doctors training only Salvadoran doctors, but with the proven success of the program, the trainings have expanded and are now multinational. These trainings occur twice each year. In Honduras, the Mayo Clinic works with OBI to provide Maternal and Fetal Emergency Care education for Medical Students and Residents. Dr. Brian Brost from the Mayo Clinic travels to Honduras 2-3 times per year to do model simulation trainings on real life emergency obstetrics. The goal is to begin to move the training from Residents at hospitals, to clinic level workers who also deliver babies during emergencies.

4 Medical Mission Data Tracking System Operation Blessing International (OBI) has launched an innovative program designed to improve the performance of medical data collection and to streamline the communication channels for health care providers serving the poorest of the poor. OBI and Old Dominion University (ODU) have partnered together in an initiative to develop an electronic record system that allows medical staff to track the progress of patients they treat on a medical mission using tablet devices. The initiative began its beta testing stages in Haiti and Honduras with plans to expand its use in additional OBI Health Programs in Guatemala and El Salvador. The software is internet based, so with the help of a router, the database can be accessed on all Apple or Android devices with internet capability. The benefits of the Tracking System include the following: Increased efficiency of medical missions by decreasing patient wait time and eliminating errors often seen in paper-based systems. Immediate statistical reporting and live data that can be viewed from OBI headquarters and shared with local health departments and government officials. Accurate inventory for all medicine & relief supplies following each brigade. Live chat windows between all tablet users for quick problem solving through real-time communication. Preventable disease mapping of towns and villages, which allows OBI to identify trends and forecast additional interventions that specific areas may need.

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6 Gift-In-Kind Information Operation Blessing International (OBI) strives to strengthen the global health system through pharmaceutical and equipment donations. Through strategic partnerships and generous corporate giving, OBI is able to maximize its global humanitarian efforts through donations of medicine, food, and relief supplies known as gifts-in-kind (GIK). These donations are used by OBI to further its mission to alleviate human need and suffering around the world. irs regulation: Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation is a 501(C)(3) organization registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service. Our IRS tax exemption status was received on October 21, independent auditing: OBI is audited twice a year by the independent auditing firm, KPMG LLP. integrity of the distribution: Products donated to OBI will not be priced, sold, bartered or exchanged for cash, other products or services. gik documentation: The documentation process from receipt of the donation at OBI HQ USA to the OBI in-country recipient network includes the following: 1. Detailed inventory and product description provided by donor 2. Bills of Lading (BOL s) 3. Documentation of delivery 4. Container shipping documents and product tracking 5. Value of the donation provided by donor 6. Tax receipt letter for donor s files Your Donations at Work: Countries Currently Receiving Medical-GIK: Dominican Republic El Salvador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Liberia Niger Senegal

7 Vital Resources OBI staff and volunteers around the globe encounter a wide variety of illnesses and utilize an array of GIK medicine to provide treatment and relief to those who are suffering. As OBI s medical network expands to meet the growing demand for help, our success is largely dependent upon the GIK medicine we receive from our donor network. The following medicine and relief supplies are those we are in constant need of in order to best treat the communities we serve: Analgesics Antibiotics Antifungals Antirheumatics Antihelminthics Antispasmodics Anticholinergics Antidiarrheals Cardiovascular Upper respiratory Vitamins, minerals and prenatals In addition to providing life-saving medicine through our international medical programs, OBI is able to facilitate the distribution of essential medical equipment and basic first aid medical supplies such as gauze, bandages, etc. through partnerships with in-country healthcare facilities. Also included in our global healthcare program are hospital textiles such as operating room drapes, sheets, pillowcases, towels, washcloths, patient gowns and blankets. These items help to ensure cleanliness, safety and dignity for the patients we are committed to serve.