Partnerships

 
The HUG actively collaborates, through conventions, with:

• The Directorate for Development and Cooperation (DDC), a body within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), responsible for international cooperation 
• The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) is a national humanitarian-aid instrument: its members are sent to the field to carry out direct actions, or to support international organisations (emergency aid during catastrophes). Within this framework, a team of HUG employees is identified and may be called upon to take part in these actions. 

The HUG also collaborates with international organisations active in the field of health:

• World Health Organisation (WHO): HUG experts regularly contribute to developing WHO recommendations regarding treatments or patient care, including with regard to HIV and AIDS, infectious diseases or neglected tropical diseases.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): this independent and neutral institution acts in emergency situations and provides protection, assistance and humanitarian aid to victims of armed conflict and other violent situations. Upon the ICRC’s request, the HUG provides employees to participate in regular programmes, lead assessment missions or take part in targeted joint projects.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): the organisation offers medical assistance to populations facing life-threatening crises as a result of armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters or exclusion from healthcare. The HUG offers support to MSF programmes by sending interns in the field of paediatrics and infectious diseases. They also share their expertise on specialist projects (e.g. Ebola). 
• Terre des Hommes Foundation: the foundation carries out projects allowing children to benefit from their right to health, particularly in the field of heart malformations. The HUG welcomes more than a hundred children per year for cardiac interventions.
• Sentinelles Foundation: active in caring for children suffering from noma and requiring hyper-specialised plastic and reconstructive surgery. An annual mission is organised by the HUG in West Africa in order to strengthen the skills of local partners.
• Children Action Foundation: active in the field of healthcare for children.
• 2nd Chance: organisation dedicated to reconstructive surgery for patients suffering from congenital malformations and the aftermath of burns or accidents, and to the training of anaesthetists in East African countries. A dozen HUG employees take part in these annual missions.

 
Multiple partnerships are also reflected in collaboration agreements signed between the HUG and over 20 other hospitals in different countries, including Cameroon, India, Libya, Morocco, Mali, Mongolia, Nepal, Rwanda and Tunisia.