Ethical and Sustainable Out-reaches

​Working in vulnerable settings requires careful consideration of the intervention and consultation with local partners. Bridge to Health operates based on an anthropological approach, ensuring that a "do no harm" principle is always followed. 

Bridge to Health applies the following criteria before working in any location.
 

1. A needs assessment must be conducted together with a strong local partner before any intervention. The needs assessment will be analysed from a public health perspective. We have developed standardized criteria to evaluate whether a location is suitable for an out-reach sending foreign clinicians. 
    

2. Our personnel (or our partners) must visit the site and develop a clear rationale against set criteria for why Bridge to Health should work in that area.
    

3. The “out-reach” should focus on a knowledge exchange: identifying compatible skills locally and pairing them with new knowledge (or technology) from a different context. 
    

4. Any intervention should have a follow-up sustainability plan over at least 12 months with a clear M&E framework (including baseline). This requires resources and should be budgeted for in the model.
    

5. A clear rationale for bringing the qualified foreign doctor/volunteer to the out-reach and why not using local doctors must be written and submitted to the board for approval.