A NEW CHAIRMAN FOR INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PARTNERS

International Health Partners has announced today changes in its Board of Trustees and Members, following the charity’s substantial early progress. Stephen O’Brien has taken over from John Kelsall as Chairman. IHP was legally established just over a year ago and was operationally launched last November. [Full details here]

John Kelsall, who heads IHP’s Canadian sister charity, had agreed to act as the founding Chairman until IHP was up and running and wanted to step down in favour of a UK-based Chairman. The Board unanimously supported his assuming the role of Vice Chairman.

Stephen O’Brien in accepting his new role as Chairman said “John has played a key role in helping IHP to get off to such a flying start, the whole Board offers him a debt of gratitude for his leadership through the set up period”.

Ruth Dunnett has stepped down as one of the five founding Trustees, but continues to act as Company Secretary and a Member of IHP’s Board of Trustees and Members. The other Trustees were unanimously re-appointed by the Board for a period of three years. Stephen O’Brien said “I would like to thank Ruth for acting as a Trustee during the establishment of IHP. I am very pleased that she is continuing in an active role both as a Member and in overseeing IHP’s relationships with NGOs.”

Anthony Dunnett, President of IHP, said “I am very pleased with the significant early progress made by IHP in the UK. This could not have been achieved without the proactive help and assistance of Health Partners International of Canada, who provided us with the operational processes to enable us to ‘hit the ground running’. John has provided invaluable advice over the past year. We look forward to working closely with Stephen with his substantial experience in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The charity is on track to delivering almost twice its planned level of medical donations in its first year which ends on June 30th.”

Over £3.5m of top quality primary health care medicines and medical supplies have been donated to IHP by the UK industry. These have been distributed by IHP to charities and medical works in the developing world to meet specifically identified and requested needs. Countries that have benefited include the Maldives and Sri Lanka in relation to the Tsunami disaster (for which IHP coordinated the UK’s relief donations from industry). Much needed medicines, supplies and vaccines, have also been sent to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

For more information, contact:
Jenina Bas - 07971 551 778 or e-mail