APPEAL FOR MEDICAL RELIEF TO CHIAPAS
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