Matching Need & Resources in the
Philanthropic Healthcare Space
What Is VFMatch?
VFMatch is an innovative technology platform that intelligently matches need and resources in the healthcare sector. Its primary goal is to reduce inefficiencies in the delivery of healthcare by matching the needs of underserved populations around the world with the resources of governments, non-profits, companies and individuals.
VFMatch, a byproduct of the Virtue Foundation Actionable Data Initiative, is a stand-alone resource that serves as a complementary tool to the World Compendium of Healthcare Facilities and Nonprofit Organizations, a comprehensive directory of global healthcare facilities and nonprofits, recently published by Taylor & Francis.
The Virtue Foundation Actionable Data Initiative developed VFMatch, a first-of-its-kind digital tool that matches need and resources in global health through five key features:
Nonprofit Organization Listings
Presents a curated directory of nonprofits providing healthcare services in 72 low- and low-middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank.
Featured Nonprofits
Operation International
Offers medical aid to adults and children suffering from lack of quality healthcare in impoverished countries.
Hernia International
Aims to provide relief from sickness, and protection and preservation of health, for persons affected by groin and abdominal hernias and residing in low- and middle-income countries.
Rheumatology for All
Increases access to rheumatology care in under-resourced regions through the creation of self-sustaining rheumatology training programs, by funding the education of local physicians to become rheumatologists and providing educational programs for local physicians.
Healthcare Facilities
Provides curated listing of hospitals and other healthcare facilities in 72 low- and low-middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank. The listing includes information about hospital and health facility departments, medical and surgical specialities, and services.
Volunteer Opportunities
Offers demand-side data that enables medical professionals to identify where medical and surgical volunteer opportunities are available in underserved areas around the world or where additional assistance is needed.
Surgeon Volunteering Opportunities
Teams provide surgery and anesthesia, capacity building and training. To register with Hernia International as a Volunteer, please complete the following form https://www.herniainternational.org.uk/personal-information-of-volunteer/.
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Bewal, PakistanSocial Workers Needed
As the crisis rocking the North West and the South West regions continue unabated, women continue to bear the brunt.Women’s rights activists and civil society partners have flagged increasing reports of Gender based violence as the crisis rage and have and have warned that if nothing is done urgently, thousands of IDP women and girls will be left without any life-saving assistance to recover from GBV and rebuild their lives.It’s as a result of this, H4BF has decided to open a Women/Girls Empowerment Centers in Baffousam in the West Region, and Bameda and Nkambe, Donga Mantung Division North West region of Cameroon. This center is enabling displaced women, returnees and host communities to get together and discuss issues affecting them and use the center as a place to conduct their income generating activities (IGA) and get informal education on numerals. The center will also provide specialized Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) case management and reintegration of IDPs, GBV and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). H4BF after training staffs at the center on GBV case management to improve the quality of lifesaving GBV service provision. They have better knowledge on the use of the GBV referral pathways to ensure safe referral of survivors of GBV to specialized services. We are in need of social workers to boost activities in these centers.
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Bamenda, CameroonJanuary 15, 2022 - October 29, 2022 (9 months and 14 days)
Cirujanos en Acción (Surgeons in Action)
Teams provide surgery and anesthesia, capacity building and training. To register with Hernia International as a Volunteer, please complete the following form https://www.herniainternational.org.uk/personal-information-of-volunteer/.
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Freetown, Sierra LeoneInsights
Presents country overviews, detailed information and maps for 72 low- and low-middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank. Includes country life expectancy estimates, physician and hospital bed density, maternal mortality rates and other significant information.
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Myanmar
Myanmar (also known as Burma) is located between Bangladesh and Thailand, and bordered by the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. With an asymmetrically adult population, Myanmar has about 57.1 million people. Myanmar is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia. The more than 135 officially recognized and distinct ethnic groups are broadly categorized into eight major national groups: Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Kayah, Mon, Arakanese, and Shan. Though there are more than 100 languages spoken in Myanmar, two-thirds of the nation’s population speak Burmese, the official language. With bustling markets, and numerous parks and lakes, Yangon is the country’s largest city, while Naypyidaw, called “the abode of kings,” is the capital. The main religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism.Following Japanese occupation, Myanmar was reconquered by the Allies and granted independence in 1948. The country became a military dictatorship under the Burma Socialist Programme Party in 1962 after a coup d’etat. Since independence, civil wars have become a feature of the country’s sociopolitical landscape. Contributing to its vulnerability, Myanmar is prone to persistent and highly destructive natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, flooding, and landslides. With a nominal per capita income of $1,400, unemployment nearing 37 percent, and 26 percent of people living in poverty, Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia.The life expectancy of the Burmese people is 67 years, the lowest in Southeast Asia. Despite a steady increase in health expenditures by the government in recent years, the health system is still weak due to decades of neglect. Non-communicable diseases increasingly contribute to the most deaths in the country, including stroke COPD, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis, and asthma. Other ailments such as lower respiratory infections, neonatal disorders, and diarrheal diseases continue to cause significant numbers of deaths. While incidence of death due to HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis has decreased over time, they still continue to pose a major threat to the country’s healthcare system, as well as being a significant cause of death.
- 74 Doctors/100k
- 104 Beds/100k
- 250 Deaths /100k
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Vietnam
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in Southeast Asia, is on the eastern edge of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. Vietnam is bordered by China, Laos, and Cambodia. It is the sixteenth most populous country in the world, with 102.8 million people. About 38 percent of the population lives in urban areas, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, and Hanoi, the capital. Major ethnic groups include Kinh (Viet), with smaller groups being Tay, Thai, Muong, Khmer, Mong, Nung, and Hoa. About 80 percent of the population does not identify with any particular religion, but small portions do identify as Buddhist, Catholic, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, and Protestant. English and Vietnamese are the most commonly spoken languages. Vietnam is known for intriguing geographical features; at its narrowest point, the country is only 50 kilometers wide. It is also home to the world’s largest cave.North and South Vietnam unified after the Vietnam War in 1975, and the country has since grown substantially, with one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Tourism, manufacturing, and exports have led to increasing per capita GDP. Poverty rates have decreased from over 70 percent to around 6 percent since political and economic reforms were launched in 1986. Improvements have been made across many sectors, including education and health. Literacy rates are high due to the strong network of public schools, while life expectancy has also steadily increased. However, corruption runs rampant and continues to be a persistent issue.Alongside progress in poverty reduction, Vietnam has made tremendous gains in addressing major health issues. Rates of malaria have decreased substantially, and illness due to poor sanitation has also decreased as more people gain access to clean water. In addition, tuberculosis remains a persistent health concern and a leading cause of death. Other leading causes of death include stroke, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, COPD, lung cancer, road injuries, cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease, lower respiratory infections, Alzheimer’s disease, and hypertensive heart disease. The risk factors that contribute most to deaths and disabilities include high blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, dietary risks, air pollution, alcohol and tobacco use, high body-mass index, kidney dysfunction, occupational risks, high LDL, and malnutrition.
- 83 Doctors/100k
- 318 Beds/100k
- 43 Deaths /100k
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Comoros
Nicknamed the “Perfumed Islands” thanks to its fragrant plant life and natural beauty, the Comoros archipelago, formally known as Union of the Comoros, is a small, mountainous island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Eastern Africa. The population of 865,000 people is composed of several ethnic groups including Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, and Sakalava; the overwhelming majority are Sunni Muslim. Three official languages are spoken throughout the country: Arabic, French, and Shikomoro, a blend of Swahili and Arabic. Of the three islands that make up the Comoros, Anjouan is the most densely populated, with the capital, Maroni, also being fairly dense. Despite these high-density areas, as much as two-thirds of the population live in rural areas.Comoros is considered one of the world’s poorest countries, with much of its population relying on subsistence agriculture and fishing. One fourth of the population is considered to be extremely poor, living below the national poverty line. A limited number of job opportunities, no universities, a lack of advanced healthcare, and widespread poverty have resulted in a steady migration of Comorans moving abroad (mainly to France) in search of a better life. The diaspora has grown to such an extent that 25 percent of Comoros’ 2013 GDP was attributed to remittances. The most common causes of death in Comoros include stroke, lower respiratory infections, ischemic heart disease, neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, malaria, diabetes, cirrhosis, and hypertensive heart disease. Death due to malaria has decreased by over 50 percent in the past 10 years, however it still causes substantial mortality in the country. The risk factors that contribute most to deaths and disabilities include malnutrition, air pollution, high blood pressure, dietary risks, high body-mass index, high fasting plasma glucose, tobacco use, and insufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene.
- 17 Doctors/100k
- 216 Beds/100k
- 273 Deaths /100k