Background
The Children in Crisis (CiC) Program seeks to address the health needs of children in humanitarian contexts. Over 400 million, or approximately one in six, children live in conflict zones. Nearly 37 million children are displaced due to conflict, poverty, or natural disasters. These children face disproportionate risks that have significant impacts on their ability to attain the highest level of health possible. In conflict settings, they are particularly vulnerable to harm from the loss of caregivers, disruption of social systems, direct violence, and limited access to pediatric health services. Understanding and responding to the unique needs of children in these environments is crucial to supporting children’s right to health and to prevent, mitigate, and address detrimental health consequences.
‍Mission
The CiC program partners with non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, donors, governments, and academic institutions to provide technical expertise and implementation support to address pediatric health needs in humanitarian contexts. By working collaboratively with partner organizations and communities, we help to define both immediate and long-term needs of affected populations, guide program development and implementation, and strengthen national and international resilience strategies. Our focus is on delivering targeted, effective, and sustainable interventions in collaboration with communities and partners.
‍Program Streams
CiC supports affected communities, partners, and governments through the following program streams: Knowledge Production, Technical Support, Education, and Policy and Advocacy.  

Current and Past Projects:

Supporting Club Foot and Hip Dysplasia Care in Rural Colombia

A collaboration between the MCRGHP and the NGO Healing the Children that supports orthopedic surgery services in Neiva, Columbia, treating hundreds of children a year with maxillofacial and orthopedic conditions.

Strengthening Pediatric Care in Laos

In 2016, the MCRGHP partnered with the Laos Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC), in Luang Prabang, Laos, the country's only pediatric hospital outside of the capital city of Vientiane. For four years, the GHP collaborated with LFHC with physicians, nurses and physician assistants to assist in training and mentorship of the Lao clinicians in the care and management of sick or injured children.

Electricity-free Infant Warmer for Newborn Thermoregulation

With help from a Global Health grant, Dr. Anne Hansen worked with partners to develop an infant warming pad that can keep a newborn warm for hours at a time without the need for electricity, making it ideal for a resource-limited setting, using something all cultures can access: hot water.

Training Birth Attendants Newborn Resuscitation in Haiti

Helping Babies Breath provides birth attendants in Haiti life-saving training in neonatal resuscitation and care.

Establishing a School Wellness Center in Haiti

Community health outreach efforts bring hearing and vision screenings to elementary school students at L'Ecole de Choix in rural Haiti.

Supporting Pediatric Oncology Nursing in Myanmar

During her Global Nursing Fellowship, Marilyn Moonan collaborated with a nursing program in Yangon, Myanmar to guide and support nurses with educational initiatives that will improve nursing practice, clinical skill and patient outcomes.

Sickle Cell Disease Screening in Haiti

Quality improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric Sickle Cell Disease contribute to improved health outcomes for children in Haiti.

Pediatric Cardiothoracic Care in Sri Lanka

Pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Christopher Baird partnered with local surgeons in Sri Lanka to treat the complex congenital heart disease known as Ebstein's anomaly.

Advancing Sickle Cell Care in Uganda

In 2021, Dr. Kara Montbleau, along with a team of collaborators from BCH and Bwera Hospital, designed a study to improve diagnostic capacity and outpatient services for children living with sickle cell disease. They focused on providing education to caregivers, healthcare workers, and the community to improve awareness and understanding of this disease.

Preventing Stillbirth & Early Neonatal Deaths in Tanzania

In collaboration with the University of Dodoma, Dr. Mei Elansary worked to identify factors affecting maternal and newborn health in Tanzania and built local research capacity through training workshops, which created a deeper understanding of health needs to guide targeted improvements in neonatal care in Tanzania.

Nutrition Research in Tanzania

Boston Children's Dr. Christopher Duggan and Muhimbili University's Dr. Karim Manji work together to address malnutrition, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in young children around the world. Their more than 20 year collaboration has resulted in new discoveries related to micronutrient supplementation and changed global practices on meeting children's nutritional needs.

Teach Teens to Fish: Empowering Liberian Youth

Teach Teens to Fish has partnered with GHP since 2022 with the goal of engaging with teens to help them realize their talents and potentials and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Through workshops and income-generating activities, such as making soap, teenagers in Liberia are provided practical skills to improve their livelihoods, participate in school health clubs, and advance their education.