mission

International Volunteers in Urology (IVU) is committed to making quality urological care available to people worldwide. In fulfilling this mission, IVU provides medical and surgical education to physicians and nurses, and treatment to thousands of suffering men, women, and children.

HISTORY

lnternational Volunteers in Urology (IVU) was founded in 1995 and incorporated in 1996. IVU is the only nonprofit organization worldwide dedicated to teaching urology in developing countries. In fulfilling this mission, IVU provides medical and surgical education to physicians and nurses, and treatment to thousands of suffering men, women and children. In contrast with most other surgical nonprofit organizations, IVU's mission is to teach the teachers. This approach ensures the long-term sustainability of our programs, and fosters the professional independence of our hosts.

IVU volunteers began participating in overseas teaching missions in 1992 in collaboration with Interplast, Inc. Since then we have worked with other surgical nonprofits, and have sent independent IVU teams overseas. To date, IVU has sponsored teaching workshops in over 15 locations in the developing world including: Mongolia, Cuba, Ghana, Bolivia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Peru, Cameroon, Vietnam, and Nicaragua.

Programs

TEAM TRIPS
IVU is recognized internationally by members of the medical community, governments, and medical corporations, as a leader in education and care in developing countries. IVU currently conducts an average of four to six teaching trips per year, and performs an average of 35–80 operations per trip. Although a large operative case number is gratifying, our real goal is to train local doctors who can, in time, assume the role of training other doctors. IVU only establishes programs in countries where it has been formally invited by a local host medical center or hospital. Currently, IVU has invitations from far more countries and hospitals than we can financially afford to accept.

TRAVELING RESIDENT SCHOLARSHIP
In 1999, IVU established the Traveling Resident Scholarship program for doctors training as urology residents or fellows. This program allows residents to accompany a mentoring urologist to a developing country to teach and perform operations. Residents work under conditions they would likely never see in the developed world and have the opportunity to perform procedures that are no longer the norm in the US. A fourth or fifth year American urology resident may have the opportunity to teach nurses or other care providers. As a result of their experiences, IVU scholarship recipients develop a more global view of medicine and an increased appreciation for resourcefulness. In turn, local hospitals receive hands on training in new techniques and much needed additional professional assistance.

LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS PROGRAM
In 2000, IVU became a partner with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and numerous others, in the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. Lymphatic Filariasis, more commonly known as elephantiasis, is the second leading cause of disability in the world. Through funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IVU sponsors and facilitates Lymphatic Filariasis symposiums and surgical workshops around the world.

In 2003, highlights included an LF surgical workshop in Bangladesh, strategic/program planning meetings in Zanzibar and Ghana and participation in the Pan African urological Surgeons Association in Nigeria.

UROLOGIAL AFFILIATES
Though our newly established “Affiliates Program,” IVU partners with urologists working in developing countries around the globe. Through this program we have provided thousands of dollars of supplies and equipment to doctors in such diverse locations as Cameroon, Mozambique and Belize.

INDIA CAMPS
IVU continues to support Jeev Sewa Sansthan’s (JSS) urology camps in India. During the winter of 2003-04, camps were held in Ajmer, Bairagarh, Bhopal, Jabalpur and Jaipur.

WOMENS PROGRAM
In December 2003, IVU hosted its first International Conference on Women’s Urogynecologcial Health. This program will allow IVU to begin providing women-focused surgical teaching workshops. Site visits are scheduled in 2004 for Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Phone: (801) 524-0201
fax: (801) 524-0176
Email: info@ivumed.org