Partners In Health (PIH) is a global health organization that aims to provide high-quality medical care to people in some of the poorest and most remote communities around the world. PIH was founded in 1987 by Paul Farmer, Ophelia Dahl, Thomas J. White, Todd McCormack, and Jim Yong Kim, with the mission to provide a “preferential option for the poor” in health care.
PIH is known for its innovative approach to global health, which combines medical care with community-based and economic development programs to address the root causes of poverty and poor health. The organization works in partnership with governments, local communities, and other organizations to build sustainable health care systems.
One of the key ways in which PIH redefines the possibilities of health care is by providing comprehensive, integrated care to patients, rather than just treating individual illnesses. This approach addresses the social determinants of health, such as poverty, lack of education, and poor housing, which can contribute to poor health outcomes.
PIH also focuses on training and empowering local health care workers, and building health care infrastructure in resource-poor communities. This helps to ensure that the health care systems they build are sustainable and can continue to serve communities long after PIH’s involvement.
The organization has been recognized for its successful model of care, which has led to significant improvements in the health outcomes of the communities it serves. Partners in Health have been working in several countries such as Haiti, Peru, Russia, Lesotho, Malawi, and Rwanda.