African Medical and Research Foundation

African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is a non-governmental organisation working in Africa to relieve poverty through health development.

It is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

AMREF has almost 50 years experience in health development. In 1957 three surgeons (Sir Michael Wood, Sir Archibald McIndoe & Thomas Rees) founded the Flying Doctor Service of East Africa, a foundation that would later become one of the continent’s most respected health development organisations.

AMREF implements projects to learn, and shares that learning with others to advocate for changes in health policy and practice. AMREF aims to close the gap that prevents people from accessing their basic right to health.

AMREF partners with institutions such as the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Harvard and Johns Hopkins Universities and Medical Institutes throughout the continent to achieve its goal.

The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) recently identified AMREF as a key partner in its health programme.

In 1999 AMREF was awarded the Conrad Hilton Prize for Humanitarian work and in 2005 AMREF became the first ever African winner of the Gates Award for Global Health for making major and lasting contribution to the field of health in Africa.

''AMREF is more than a voice of Africa. It is deeds: acts of compassion, of intelligence, of purpose. They've learned how to truly improve health in Africa by asking Africans what needs to be done, and how best to do it.''

William. H. Gates Snr - CEO Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Where AMREF Works
AMREF is based in Africa where it has 5 regional offices with a field office in Sudan. Through AMREF's training programmes it is able to reach a much wider range of communities with countries as far afield as Tunisia, Eritrea and Nigeria benefiting from AMREF training courses in clinical health and nursing refresher courses.

Regional and National offices AMREF's offices in Africa implement all the Programmes and are found in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia and Sudan.

AMREF has offices in Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, U.K and U.S.A. These offices primarily raise funds for the programmes in Africa.