June 2026

Dear friends,

June is National Safety Month - a time to reflect on what it means to feel safe. For many of us, safety is something we take for granted: a seatbelt, a smoke detector, a hospital nearby. But for millions of people around the world, safety begins with access to quality health care. It means having a skilled provider in the room when your child is critically ill. It means not having to travel hundreds of miles for a diagnosis. It means knowing that someone has been trained to help you.

At Health Volunteers Overseas, that is the work we do every day. Below you will read about Dr. Jimba Jatsho, an HVO trained pediatric nephrologist who is the the only specialist of his kind in all of Bhutan. Behind every story like Dr. Jatsho's is an HVO volunteer - a physician, nurse, physical therapist, or allied health professional who gave their time and expertise to build lasting change. That volunteer could be you.

This National Safety Month, I hope you will join us in our belief that every person, everywhere, deserves to feel safe, and that quality health care is how we get there.

Sincerely,

April

April Pinner, MSPH, RD

Executive Director

Call For Papers

Long-time HVO volunteer, Connie Evashwick, is putting together a special issue of Frontiers in Health Services about "The Evolution of the US Health System since 1945: A Critical Analysis of History to Inform the Present and Guide the Future." HVO volunteers and partners abroad are invited to submit manuscripts that provide a global perspective on how the US both influences and has been influenced by other countries in the area of Workforce and Capacity Building.

The deadline for manuscript submission is October 9, 2026.

More information can be found here: The Evolution of US Health System.  Email Connie Evashwick if you would like to meet with her to brainstorm an initial idea or have a draft reviewed. 

Bhutan’s First Pediatric Nephrologist

Just a few years ago, Bhutan had never had a pediatric nephrologist. Now, the country has Dr. Jimba Jatsho. “Before me,” he said, “when there was no specialist, most children would not have made it. They would have died at their primary center.” Dr. Jatsho has only been a practicing pediatric nephrologist for two years. He remains the sole practitioner for the country. Already, he has changed the quality of care for vulnerable patients and saved dozens of lives. He was inspired to pursue nephrology by HVO volunteer Dr. Dorey Glenn, who was instrumental in his training as a resident and a fellow. Already, Dr. Jatsho has organized a nephrology essentials workshop for over twenty other providers in Bhutan and continues to train colleagues in his hospital. His story is just one example of how training a single health care provider can have a wide impact. 

“The first month I started, we had a five-year-old girl who was referred from one of the southern hospitals. By the time she arrived, she was in acute kidney failure and required urgent dialysis. We were able to provide specialized treatment in the ICU. This was only possible because of my training. She will turn six this year. She is going to school, going through life, following up at nearby hospital. We saved her life by timely acute peritoneal dialysis. I did the dialysis myself and was teaching the nurses in the ICU step by step how to manage cases like hers. If the doctors and nurses are trained well, the impact will become even more exponential.”

Volunteer Opportunities

Nursing Education, Bhutan is recruiting in-person volunteers to support nursing faculty in clinical instruction and research topics. Three month minimum placement, six month placement preferred.  Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Palliative Care, Bhutan is recruiting physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse educators specializing in palliative care (pediatric and adult), as well as pharmacists with expertise in palliative and end-of-life care, to provide virtual education sessions to local palliative care teams. In-person placements are also available for a minimum of one month. Volunteers assist local teams with program development and mentorship. Interested volunteers should contact Lauren Franklin.

Nursing Education, Kampot, Cambodia is recruiting in-person volunteers to provide critical care nursing training. Two to four-week placement length. Interested volunteers should contact Emily Dalton.

Oral Health, Tanzania is recruiting dentists for in-person and virtual assignments to support didactic lectures, clinical training, and curriculum development. Priority specialties include endodontics, surgical endodontics, periodontics, surgical periodontics, implantology, restorative dentistry (including cosmetic), orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, and digital dentistry. Interested volunteers should contact Lauren Franklin.