By Mimi Edmunds

This week, West Bay Rotary had the privilege of hearing Elizabeth McLellan, a native of Camden, tell the dramatic story of how Partners for World Health (PWH) came into being.  Fresh out of nursing school after college, McLellan knew she wanted to put her nursing skills to work in the international arena. She started as a nursing administrator in a trauma center in Saudi Arabia. While there she received an invitation to observe medical practices in a small hospital in northern Pakistan. It was a transformative experience that gave her the inspiration and conviction to change things in health care both at home and abroad.

In Pakistan she witnessed a surgeon coming out of surgery wearing no gloves, removing the pad off an open wound of a patient, and after cleaning the wound, returning the soiled pad to the same patient… or in some cases, the next patient. She says this struck her immediately by that in hospitals such as this one, lacking the most basic supplies, good health care could never have a chance or be successful. “It occurred to me we have so much and they have so little,” she said. “I decided that someday I’m going to do something about this.”

Her solution lay in taking advantage of all the surplus in the U.S. and transferring it safely and securely to hospitals such as this one. She returned to Maine and took a job in nursing administration with Maine Medical Center. That “someday” came in 2007 when she began collecting surplus supplies and equipment from the hospital where she worked and storing them in her house. Eventually the supplies overwhelmed her house, and in 2009 the warehouse storage program was born.

Today Partners for World Health is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Portland Maine. It has two main working warehouses in Portland; four others in Camden, Sanford, Bangor, and Presque Isle; and two out of state, one in Burlington, Vermont, and Millbury, Massachusetts. Up until 2017 Elizabeth McLellan handled the entire business and management of operations herself and volunteers. Today the organization has 12 paid employees to fully load the containers and get them out the door, and dozens of volunteers year-round who are welcome to join and learn about all phases of the organization.

PWH Goals:

“To improve health care and reduce environmental impact by collecting surplus medicines and equipment and supplies and distributing them to communities in need globally and locally.”

PWH Vision:

“Where all people have access to vital medical equipment and supplies to live healthy lives on a healthy planet.”

PWH Core Programs:

 1. Global: The container shipment program that distributes medical equipment and supplies to under-resourced areas around the         world in 40-foot containers at $250,000 each. In 2022, 20 containers were shipped to nine countries; by the end of 2023, 20               will go; and 19 containers are projected for 2024.

2. Local: Purchase medical supplies and equipment for 150 communities throughout Maine and New England, and distribute locally to patients in need of care through our Medical Supply Program.

3. To divert medical supplies from landfills. 125 healthcare facilities throughout New England collect excess equipment and supplies.

4. Organize Medical missions of international aid in skilled and primary care clinics, healthcare facilities, and hospitals, including sending teams of healthcare professionals around the world multiple times a year. Current missions have been to Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan.

5. Humanitarian goal of sending teams of medical professionals from the U.S. to provide educational training and direct services. This has taken place in Uganda, and South Sudan. Host educational forums and events to share expertise.

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Today 13 countries have been impacted by PWH’s Global container shipment program and Medical Missions: Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, Zambia, Cameroon, Grenada, Haiti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somaliland, and Tanzania.

Elizabeth ended with news that PWH is “on the move” with enthusiastic plans to expand into Massachusetts, and from there down to Connecticut. When asked what Rotarians can do to help, she said, “Come down and see us, and volunteer.” Finally, when asked what they need, McLellan said, “Really, we just need stuff!”

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Co-director in the Medical mission with Elizabeth is Marieta Atienza, a long time Rotarian. She was honored by the club with a Paul Harris award based on her generous work and contributions to Rotary over the years. She played a vital role in PWH’s medical mission in the Bangladesh program and spoke passionately about the culture and people, in particular the women of Bangladesh. To carry out that program, she shared a photo of her working in a brothel to earn the trust and confidence of the women. Marieta distributed 400 “Birth-Day Kits” to the pregnant women there, all made from donated supplies from PWH sources.