CHARTER

The International Emergency Medical Response Agency offers immediate medical assistance to populations in distress and institutions serving those populations.

The International Emergency Medical Response Agency is an independent, highly responsive, non-bureaucratic, nonprofit humanitarian aid organization with the charter of providing specific, urgently needed medical aid to site specific locations.

The International Emergency Medical Response Agency follows a policy of strict neutrality and impartiality. We support the universal right to humanitarian aid and demand unhindered freedom of action in pursuit of the fulfillment of this charter.

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MISSION STATEMENT

IEMRA's first and current mission is to respond to urgent requests for specific medical aid from hospitals, clinics, refugee centers and other medical aid organizations in the former Yugoslavia.

Distribution of aid is executed by IEMRA directly to those points of need according to prenegotiated agreements with all sides in the conflict. IEMRA recognizes the right of the victims of this conflict to humanitarian aid, to request assistance, and demand freedom of activity in pursuit of this mission.

IEMRA's increasing ability to quickly and consistently deliver specific medical supplies fulfills a role unable to be met by other aid organizations operating in the former Yugoslavia. In addition, IEMRA will take an active role in the rebuilding of the region's the medical infrastructure in the post-conflict period.

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Background

Working in the front line hospital system in the former Yugoslavia for almost nine months, I witnessed the degeneration of the most advanced medical system in Eastern Europe. Many of the hospitals were comparable to those in western countries, but have been reduced to a level of care that would not be accepted in the west because of heavy shelling, lack of medical supplies, and often no water or electricity.

Delivery is part of the problem, but simply procuring specifically needed items seems to be a difficult task for even the most experienced of the international organizations. Through discussions with the medical communities in Germany and the United States, I have discovered that getting those supplies is possible.

I have established an excellent relationship with most of the Non-Government Organizations and parties involved in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, in doing so recognizing a weakness in the aid effort and a niche that IEMRA has been designed to fill.

John Ashton

Executive Director.

Strategic Plan

IEMRA's underlying philosophy is to provide requested medical aid to site specific locations. Conceptually, this can be seen as 'aid marketing' - finding out exactly what is needed where, and ensuring it gets to those points of need. To achieve this goal consistently, IEMRA will limit its number of commitments, focusing on the former Yugoslavia in the foreseeable future.

Situation Analysis

The current situation in the former Yugoslavia region is characterised by uncertainty. The international community, led by the United States, Britain, France and Russia is trying to establish a framework for bringing about peace and hopefully long term resolution of the conflict and tensions in the former Yugoslavia.

Events in the region obviously effect IEMRA directly, hindering or helping aid efforts. However, the medical infrastructure in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia has already been severely damaged and is entirely dependent on outside support. Further conflict only increases damage to the system, the amount of resources necessary to support and restore its capabilities, and the urgency of IEMRA's mission.

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Regardless of immediate peace or continued conflict, it is imperative that health and medical support to the region increases. IEMRA is dedicated to support of the health system in the former Yugoslavia during and after this conflict, hence while each development potentially influences IEMRA's operational activities and short term goals, medium and long term goals of support remain unchanged.

IEMRA's role in the overall aid effort in the former Yugoslavia is filling a niche in the supply of specific, urgently needed medical supplies. The United Nations group of organizations and other Non-Government Organisations (NGO's) are doing much to address both medical and non-medical needs, however they are not able to fully meet general needs and there is a particular deficiency in the supply of requested and specific aid. IEMRA operates in a targeted manner, supplying specifically needed items to 'site specific' locations, and works closely with other organizations active in the region. There is a real and recognized need for further help and IEMRA's expansion will have a synergistic effect on the aid effort.

Aid Generation and Distribution

Traditionally humanitarian aid is generated largely through financial support for the aid organization, which then uses the funds to operate and purchase the necessary aid. This is supplemented by physical donations. Given the expense of aid, particularly medical aid, decreasing the reliance on financial procurement and opening up a direct link between the medical industry and the aid community would substantially benefit aid efforts.

IEMRA is negotiatinging with the American pharmaceutical industry to make available pharmaceuticals to IEMRA for humanitarian use. Motivated by humanitarian concern, this agreement will also provide public relations and financial benefits to the industry and frees financial resources for IEMRA to use in procuring other aid more difficult to obtain.

IEMRA's logistical strategy in the conflict zone is to use its own transport infrastructure to ensure that requested and specific aid is delivered to site specific locations in accordance with prenegotiated agreements with all parties involved, international and those in conflict. Operations will be conducted from three locations, specifically Zagreb, Split and Belgrade to provide different options for gaining access to specific locations.

Form and Growth

The charter IEMRA has defined is the effective and efficient support of medical structures serving populations devastated by disaster and conflict. The goals of IEMRA are not short, term and it is planned to change focus from the former Yugoslavia with time. However, for current purposes the situation in the former Yugoslavia is IEMRA's 'raison d'être'. In order to best approach this and future missions it is necessary to examine; 1) the resources necessary to operate effectively

and efficiently; and 2) the form of organization most suited to the task and to organizational goals.

The resources necessary to effectively and efficiently carry out the stated charter and mission are organizational, physical, and financial. IEMRA is currently establishing the organizational structure to facilitate the coordination and control of the mission. (This is dealt with more fully under Structure). Physical resources are the means for carrying out the tasks required and will be obtained as they are needed. The most important single resource is financial, hence a considerable part of IEMRA's activities are directed at generating the necessary funds. As outlined in the Programs section, IEMRA is fund raising via a number of methods; the principle being application to private and government funding bodies, working with the medical manufacturing community, the running of mass fund raising campaigns, and approaching individuals and organizations. Given the difficulty of funding humanitarian aid efforts and the general cost of medicines, IEMRA is placing an emphasis on the relationship with the U.S. pharmaceutical industry to ease the reliance on financial support.

In order to attract essential resources outlined above, the organizational form must be substantial and secure, and operations effective and efficient. Through knowledge and experience IEMRA is establishing a structure that can provide support to the medical field in the former Yugoslavia, and other regions in the future. The key task, then, is to establish an organization with these capabilities and to attract those essential

resources.

Based in Germany, the form taken must conform to German law. IEMRA is registering in Germany as a 'Stiftung' (literally a Foundation), which in Germany is a secure and respected type of institution. This security is largely based on the capital investment requirement which must remain intact while the Foundation operates. The benefits to IEMRA of this legal form are financial security which ensures stability, and the fact that the inherent qualities of a Foundation are well suited to attracting the necessary

resources.

IEMRA is in the process of legalization and registration in Germany, Switzerland, and the U.S. Until full legal status is granted, IEMRA will continue to operate under the auspices of the German medical association Marburger Bund, itself a Foundation in Europe, and is negotiating the same arrangement with the American Medical Association in the U.S.

The urgent situation in the former Yugoslavia has persuaded IEMRA to pursue a dual path of growth; primarily establishing the Foundation in Germany and aid generation branch in the U.S., but also expanding operations to provide whatever relief possible. With establishment and growth IEMRA will expand according to a strategic plan of increasing resources and capabilities with the constant goal of planning and implementing an effective and efficient aid mechanism that will significantly and positively effect human health.