Our Favorite Stories, Videos, and Social Posts of 2024

It’s incredible what can happen in just a year.

This year, Partners In Health (PIH) staff faced incredible challenges: escalating violence in Haiti and instability in Mexico, the Marburg virus disease emerging in Rwanda, Sierra Leone declaring a national emergency due to substance abuse, and so many other daily struggles that occur in vulnerable communities around the world. However, PIH remained steadfast, accompanying patients and providing care no matter the circumstances.  

We saw breakthroughs in tuberculosis (TB) treatment, significant improvements in maternal health, activists building movements and shaping policy to improve health care, and countless other reasons to celebrate. See below the stories, videos, and social posts that you, our supporters, were most excited about this year.  

Becoming a PIH Insider

At PIH, we often use terminology that may be unfamiliar as we’ve developed our own lexicon over the years. A key term that describes the “why” and the “how” of PIH’s work is a concept from liberation theology called accompaniment. In simple terms, it means being there, together with our patients, for as long as it takes. This video helps articulate what that looks like in our work.

Another concept driving the work of PIH is social medicine, based on the idea that social forces affect our health and lead to health inequities. One of our favorite blogs of the year helps describe how this concept changes our approach to providing health care and why it matters.

If you want to delve even deeper into sources of inspiration—and entertainment—of PIH staff, we invite you to look at our summer What to Read, Watch, and Listen to list. Or watch “Bending the Arc," the critically acclaimed documentary about PIH’s origins. Speaking of PIH’s founding, Co-Founder Ophelia Dahl was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2024 as part of the annual TIME100 list—a well-deserved recognition for her work as an advocate and leader in global health.  

The Deadliest Infectious Disease

Despite TB being considered a disease of the past for many people in wealthy Western countries, it is the deadliest infectious disease, killing someone every 20 seconds. So, why doesn’t it make headlines? We have a couple of ideas.

When talking about TB, we have to mention the incredible impact of our late Co-Founder Dr. Paul Farmer on the treatment of the disease. We made it easy for you to explore his work over three decades transforming care for patients with TB.  

Although Farmer passed away in 2022, his example remains a driving force in TB work around the world. TB experts and activists continue to advocate for equitable care, including better education about the disease and accessible treatment regimens.  

We are constantly working to carry on Paul’s legacy, through groundbreaking clinical trials and legislation that can revolutionize TB care globally. To make it simple, we joined in on this viral moment.

⁠Maternal Health in Sierra Leone

The PIH team in Sierra Leone, a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, has been working diligently and thoughtfully to prevent maternal and child deaths. And it’s working.  

Isata Dumbuya, director of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health, joined the BBC to speak about how maternal health care has improved and what we can look forward to with the future opening of the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) in Kono District.

Sister Patricia Efe Azikiwe, a reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent clinical program manager at PIH-supported Koidu Government Hospital, looks forward to seeing how the MCOE will help even more mothers and babies. She has become a key part of training and care delivery within the current facility’s maternal ward, supporting both clinical staff and expectant mothers. Both passionate and practical, she chose to share her story with us this year.

Care Continues in Haiti

As widespread violence and instability in Haiti continued to escalate throughout the year, we provided updates on how our work didn't stop for the patients who needed us most. Despite periods of uncertainty, care continued and Zanmi Lasante, as PIH is known in Haiti, remained a beacon of hope for patients. Even our mobile clinics, including those focused on treating and preventing malnutrition, found ways to navigate fuel shortages, violence, and unpredictable roadblocks to reach our patients at home–whether by rescheduling clinic visits or finding alternative routes.

During this challenging time, Zanmi Lasante found light in the darkness, harnessing the sun's power. In partnership with Build Health International, Zanmi Lasante installed an expanded solar power system at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais to eliminate their reliance on the unstable national grid and fuel-powered generators. This new solar system will help ensure care can continue uninterrupted despite instability.  

Building a Better Future

Did you know you can support PIH and our work around the globe without pulling out your wallet? You can help prioritize TB care globally by signing the End TB Now Act, which has passed in the Senate, but still needs your voice to help it pass in the House of Representatives. And, while you’re in communication with your government officials, please tell them about the Community Health Worker Access Act as well.

We also compiled a list of nine resources to help global health advocates get involved. You can use these tools to get inspired to take action toward health equity in your community and around the world.