Feb. 1, 1994
The International Medical Relief Fund's Board of Directors announces the
establishment of a medical relief fund for Chiapas, Mexico. On January 16,
1994, the IMRF Board met to pass a resolution that would help raise funds
to assist medical relief efforts in Chiapas. Chiapas, with 3.2 million
inhabitants is Mexico's poorest state. The present crisis in Southern
Mexico is of great concern to members of the IMRF board, including Dana
Kent, MD and Bill Monning who have recently returned from working in the
region. Antonio Velasco, MD and IMRF board member expressed concern that
the peasant uprising in Chiapas has made attending to the already critical
health care needs of the region's poor even more difficult. Malnutrition,
respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses are common. Cholera in Chiapas
is out of control. In Chilon, the reported rate of Cholera has tripled in
the last three months alone. "We plan to support reputable projects that
will help alleviate the suffering in Chiapas, " IMRF board member Bill
Monning said. The IMRF is dedicated to working for the respect of medical
neutrality including the sanctity of doctors, health workers and clinics
that are protected under international law. Since 1983 the IMRF has
raised more than $1 million for medical assistance in El Salvador. We are
in contact we several nongovernmental organizations in Chiapas that we are
interested in trying to support. There are short term and long term
projects being proposed to the IMRF/CHIAPAS fund at this time. These
projects include the support of Jornadas into the more remote communities
that have not been allowed to leave their areas to receive health care at
clinics and hopsital in the bigger towns, a medical delegation to Chiapas
from the United States to do fact finding and relief work, and the longer
term goal of raising money to purchase an ambulance for the communities.
Contributions can be made to:
International Medical Relief Fund/Chiapas
P.O. Box 1194
Salinas, CA 93902
For more information contact Dennis Dunleavy at (408) 422)5377 or fax at
422-1808 e-mail bmonning@igc.apc.org