'Rooted in Elevating and Empowering Women:' Women's Health, Equity Central to PIH

On International Women's Day and during Women's History Month in the U.S., Partners In Health CEO Dr. Sheila Davis and Isata Dumbuya, nurse midwife and reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health lead for PIH Sierra Leone, are honoring women leaders, team members, and caregivers around the world. They shared this letter with all PIH staff, celebrating the organization's commitment to women's health, rights, and equity.

AUDIO: Hear Isata Dumbaya of PIH Sierra Leone read the International Women's Day letter she wrote with PIH CEO Dr. Sheila Davis.

With making a preferential option in health care as our North Star, PIH has always been rooted in the intention of elevating and empowering women in our pursuit of advancing health equity for all. Our work has been anchored in continuing to pave the way for women around the world to thrive and has been shaped, in large part, by women across all our care delivery, academic, and coordination sites.

At PIH, we are committed to continuing to center the health of women in our mission. From conducting more than 58,000 safe, facility-based deliveries each year, to treating hundreds of breast and cervical cancer patients at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence in Rwanda, to breaking ground on a new Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone, the ways in which you all have contributed to the wellness of women around the world has been nothing short of inspiring. We are collectively tethered to the core belief that women’s rights are human rights, and we aim to show the world that quality care, safety, and autonomy for women is not only possible, but should be a given.

We are committed to elevating and empowering women not only through the delivery of health care, but also in the ways that we work. At PIH, we are incredibly lucky to work for an organization full of strong, talented, and courageous women on the frontlines of the fight for health equity and social justice. Together, women make up 63% of PIH staff, over two-thirds of our Community Health Worker workforce, and over two-thirds of our nurses- providing care for countless patients every day. 

As we look to the future, what remains most inspiring to us is the commitment that the women of PIH have for our mission. Today, we want to take the time to express our gratitude towards all the women of PIH who have so graciously poured their love and passion into our work and lifted countless other women up in the process.

We’ll leave you with a quote that, to Isata, embodies what it means to be woman in leadership at Partners In Health: 

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love… Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” – Maya Angelou

In solidarity,

Isata Dumbuya (RMNCH Lead, PIH Sierra Leone), and Sheila Davis (CEO)