The International Rescue Committee
Improving the safe and effective delivery of health services for vulnerable populations
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is an international organisation leader in providing relief in the world’s worst humanitarian crises and in delivering healthcare in post-conflict settings. Its health programmes reach over 30 million people in 31 countries, supporting almost 3,000 health facilities and 14,000 healthcare workers.
The IRC works in difficult contexts where the delivery of healthcare services can be challenged by poor road access, interrupted or limited power services, and disjointed freight mechanisms. These infrastructure gaps have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has put additional stress on the IRC’s operations and supply chains.
From 2021 to 2023, the Trafigura Foundation supported the IRC’s efforts to strengthen its global capacity-building and management strategy for the delivery of an effective health response to at-risk populations. Following a review of programmes’ infrastructure and staffing gaps, our two-year partnership helped the IRC implement infrastructure upgrades in several countries, as well as facilitate recruitment of key staff such as pharmacists.
The programme also supported the development of e-learning tools that provide orientation on quantification and quality of pharmaceutical products and supplies for health staff working on the field. Finally, our support allowed the expansion of the IRC’s technical assistance model (including training, global guidance, remote technical assistance and advice sessions) to in-country pharmacists.
We are proud to have supported the IRC’s frontline workers with infrastructure upgrades and capacity building to deliver high-quality, timely healthcare to vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
