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Omni Med is a non-profit organization that seeks to reduce global health inequality by bringing more health providers to service internationally, and running cooperatively designed, innovative programs in developing countries. While our focus is on those in the medical profession, we recognize that true change will only come when people from all professions engage in this quest. Many more people need to understand the critical issues involved and pressure our political representatives to redirect US efforts to bring relief to those who have been long suffering. In short, we need more people to see the world with eyes fully open, and act where most needed. After many years in the making, two books that fully explain why the world is as it is and what any individual can do about it are finally in print. Awakening Hippocrates: A Primer on Health, Poverty, and Global Service and A Practical Guide to Global Health Service are now available from www.amazon.com or the AMA website at www.ama-assn.org /Bookstore. All proceeds from both books will go directly to Omni Med programs. These books, published and endorsed by the American Medical Association, should catalyze more health providers and non-health providers alike to join the quest for global health equity. Additionally, the media and speaking opportunities this presents should give Omni Med even more opportunities to grow-and attract additional supporters. Yet Omni Med involves much more than these books. Our service programs in Belize (since 1998), Thailand (since 2002) and Guyana (since 2002) continue to thrive. In Belize, the program year 2005-2006 has gone well thus far. Sean Claire, a native Belizean traveled through the program template in September, followed by Dr Chris Burns, a rheumatologist from Dartmouth, Dr Jane Share, a pediatric radiologist from Atlanta and Dr Michael Chin a family practitioner from Boston. The Belize government continues to support our efforts and we have begun to lay the groundwork for a "global health service" CME course for health providers and for some new programs for medical students and residents. In Guyana, Drs James Eadie and John O'Brien's great program has continued to grow. Henry Epino of Partners In Health traveled to Guyana with James Eadie in February 2005, offering considerable insight from his work with PIH. Subsequent trips have focused on HIV/ AIDS education, cervical cancer prevention program and general education. Dr Bryan Marsh traveled through our program in the spring and has subsequently signed on with FXB/ University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. More recently, Drs O'Brien, Varallo, and Dr Peter and Nancy Mogielnicki traveled through the program template in a successful venture in March 2006. The next trips are tentatively planned for fall and early winter 2006. During 2005, Dr John Varallo, an Ob-Gyn physician from Washington D.C., continued to expand his cervical cancer prevention program in Guyana. John spent five weeks in "July-August" and began outreach screening and treatment in the Amerindian communities. Lesions that are precursors to cervical cancer prevention program are easily detected at an early stage with appropriate tools and training, and is the cancer most commonly associated with HIV. Guyana currently lacks a screening program, with lethal consequences for many. Dr Varallo is currently working with the Ministry of Health to design a national prevention strategy. In Asia, Drs Michael Morley and Katherine Morrow have continued their work in the NKP region of northeast Thailand. In 2005, they solicited nearly $75,000 in donations to develop a Center for Eye Excellence there. Dr Morley works at the Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB), which has a non-profit arm called the Center for Eye Research and Education (CERE). Dr Morley and Morrow's program is a partnership effort involving both Omni Med and CERE. In addition to their multiple site visits, they solicited a $60,000 phaco machine for cataract surgery and grants from the Barnstable-Yarmouth Lions Club. Their Thai partner, Dr Suwat, visited the Morleys' home in Newton in October 2005. Drs Morley and Morrow traveled to Thailand in January 2006 where Drs Suwat and Morley performed sight-saving cataract surgeries on a total of 400 patients over 4 days. In Kenya, we shipped $204,110 worth of supplies to our affiliate, St Mary's Hospital in 2004 alone, with nearly as much sent in 2005 (roughly $183,191). Many people from Omni Med also contributed to the new library in the Educational Center at St Mary's. Our total support to St Mary's since 2001 is now almost $700,000 dollars, contributions that Father Fryda considers "vital." Omni Med will likely play a larger role at St Mary's in the coming years as Father Fryda expands the Education Center to include basic medical coursework. Dr Tom and Rennie Antkowiac returned to Kenya this year as orthopedic surgeon and nurse educator, with the most recent trip coming in February 2006. Father Fryda is now building a "St Mary's West" in the Elementita region in western Kenya, with plans to cover the health care needs of almost half of Kenya's population in time. St Mary's offers the highest quality, most affordable health care in East Africa, with a large HIV/ AIDS population. Thanks to everyone who has supported our work thus far. In 2003, while raising roughly $16,000, we provided over $344,000 worth of goods and services to developing countries; 2004 and 2005 totals are not yet tallied but likely even more impressive. Our audit from 2003 shows that 97.9% of our funds are spent on our programs. The 2004 audit is complete and the number should be available shortly. This impressive fiscal efficacy is largely due to our emphasis on volunteerism. With the release of Awakening Hippocrates and The Guide in 2006, Omni Med is poised to make an even larger impact on those in developing countries. Omni Med continues to provide an opportunity for action, and we are poised for great things over the coming years.