FAQs
What is HPIC?
Why the focus on
medical aid?
Is HPIC connected
to the health-care industry?
How does HPIC function?
How does HPIC obtain
medical products?
Which health-care
companies donate medicines, vaccines and medical
supplies to HPIC?
Is the medicine that
HPIC sends to the developing world expired?
Why would a health-care
company donate medical products if they can be sold
in Canada?
What can $1 donated
to HPIC accomplish?
If HPIC receives
donated medicines, vaccines and medical supplies,
why does HPIC require financial support?
Where does HPIC’s
funding come from?
How much of HPIC’s
resources go to administration?
Where does the medical
aid from HPIC go?
What assurance can
HPIC offer to donors that medical aid goes to people
in need?
I am going to visit
a country in the developing world. Can I take medicines
with me?
I have some medicine
and/or medical supplies that I no longer need. Can
I donate this to HPIC?
What can I do to
help send medical aid to the developing world?
What
is HPIC?
Health Partners International of Canada is a not-for-profit relief and development organization that works through partnerships to increase access to medicine and improve health in the developing world.
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Why
the focus on medical aid?
Health is a pillar of sustainable development and enables people to fully participate in their family, community and society. Medical aid prevents disease, restores health,
treats illnesses, eases suffering, cures infections,
and sometimes saves lives. Receiving medical treatment
enables a mother to care for her children, a parent
to work and provide for the family, and a child to
go to school.
Access to medicine is often the weakest link
in the healthcare systems of impoverished countries.
Millions of people are dying from preventable and treatable
diseases.
HPIC is committed to preventing and controlling
poverty-related diseases and working on initiatives
to reduce the disease burden that are built on sustainable
health delivery systems.
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Is HPIC
connected to the healthcare industry?
HPIC is an independent charity that receives donations of medicines, vaccines and medical supplies from Canadian healthcare companies, to be used for humanitarian purposes.
For most healthcare companies, HPIC is the charity
of choice for product donations.
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How
does HPIC function?
HPIC draws on a diverse group of partners to achieve
our mission. Healthcare companies from all sectors
of the industry donate the medical products needed
in the field. The Government of Canada, foundations,
companies and individuals provide the funding needed.
HPIC works with medical professionals, NGOs
and government agencies to plan programs and to distribute
medical aid.
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Which
healthcare companies donate medicines, vaccines and
medical supplies to HPIC?
HPIC has about 80 active partnerships with companies
that are members of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical
Companies, BIOTECanada, NDMAC, the Canadian Generic
Pharmaceutical Association, and MEDEC.
Is the
medicine that HPIC sends to the developing world expired?
Definitely not. Medicines provided by HPIC have
enough shelf life left to be used before expiry and
are suited to the needs of the destination country.
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What
can you do with my dollar?
Every $1 donated to HPIC provides at least $10 worth
of medical aid. Financial donations are highly leveraged
because HPIC partners with Canadian healthcare companies
that donate requested medicines, vaccines and medical
supplies. The partnership model of HPIC also helps
to reduce costs and get more medical aid to people
in need. Instead of duplicating what other organizations
are already doing, HPIC works with government agencies,
aid organizations and medical professionals to design
medical aid programs that meet needs on the ground. HPIC is
committed to keeping overhead costs to a minimum.
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If
HPIC receives donated medicines, vaccines and medical
supplies, why does HPIC require financial support?
The costs of running HPIC and getting medical aid to people in need include:
- assessing needs on the ground
- researching and planning programs that respond to needs
- screening and processing applications for medical aid
- researching medical products that are needed overseas and staying informed about pharmacological developments
- establishing and maintaining relationships with program partners (e.g. World Health Organization, Canadian International Development Agency, medical community, aid agencies, Canadian and foreign governments)
- establishing and maintaining relationships with about 80 healthcare companies
- renting a distribution centre and operating it according to industry standards
- receiving, verifying and handling thousands of products and millions of individual items and entering each item into a sophisticated inventory system
- co-ordinating logistics for shipments of medical aid
- packing medical aid shipments and preparing official documentation
- conducting audit trips to verify that medical aid has been distributed according to plan
- communications and reporting
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Where
does HPIC’s funding come from?
HPIC has four main sources of cash funding: general
donations from private companies, government grants;
shipment contributions from partner aid agencies; foundations
and individuals; and donations from healthcare companies.
How
much of HPIC’s resources go to administration?
In 2008, HPIC allocated 98% to medical aid programs.
Only 2% of resources were dedicated to administration
and fundraising.
Where
does the medical aid from HPIC go?
Since 1990 HPIC has distributed medical aid to people
in impoverished communities in 117 countries all over the world.
What
assurance can HPIC offer to donors that medical aid
goes to people in need?
HPIC has a clean track record. HPIC’s
distribution partners (PTP & DTP carriers and relief and development
organizations) :
- provide HPIC with the name and address of the medical
professional or health facility that will be receiving
medical aid
- confirm that medical
aid has arrived safely
- report on how the medical aid was used
HPIC conducts audit trips to verify that medical aid
has arrived and been distributed as agreed.
I
am going to visit a country in the developing world.
Can I take medicines with me?
Depending on which country you are visiting, you could
possibly take the Physician Travel Pack if your application
is approved. The PTP was designed for healthcare professionals. Some
people who are affiliated with an aid agency also carry
PTPs overseas. All PTP carriers must apply
at least three weeks prior to departure. All applications
are screened through our eligibility process.
I
have some medicine and/or medical supplies that I no
longer need. Can I donate this to HPIC?
HPIC does not accept donations of medicines or medical
supplies from individuals.
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What
can I do to help send medical aid to the developing
world?
There are a variety of ways that an individual can
get involved.
- Donate to HPIC and see your gift multiplied by
10 to send at least $10 worth of medical aid for
every $1 you donate to HPIC.
- Many progressive companies have a policy to give
corporately. When a company gives, it has a positive
impact on employees and on the public image of the
company. Why not introduce HPIC to your company?
Your colleagues can participate too, especially if
your company agrees to match employee donations to
HPIC.
- Become a HealthBuilder by making a monthly commitment
to support HPIC.
- When an emergency strikes in the developing world,
make a donation to HPIC and send needed medical aid.
- Become a volunteer. HPIC has a volunteer packing
program in Mississauga.
- Carry a Physician Travel Pack if you are going
to a developing country
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