PUTTING HEALTH IN FOCUS
What began as an idea in late 2020 has grown into an international effort to rethink how communities can work together to improve health.
Health in Focus began in September 2020 with one question: why isn’t the world more united to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life, regardless of where they are born?
For our founder, Ryan Brigham, healthcare inequality was never just a statistic. It was deeply personal.
Having experienced serious illness, hospitalisations and multiple surgeries, Ryan understood how frightening it could be to lose your health, and how much it mattered to have access to quality medical care.
But through his experiences volunteering in Vietnam, he confronted a painful reality: while illness can affect anyone, access to healthcare often depends on where you are born and the circumstances you live in.
Behind every statistic was a person, a family and a future shaped by circumstances beyond their control.
Ryan couldn't accept that something as fundamental as healthcare should remain a privilege rather than a right.
So, in September 2020, at just 21 years old, he founded Health in Focus, and you shouldn’t have to wait until you’re “old enough” or “experienced enough” before making impact in the world.
What began as one young person's determination to make a difference has grown into an international movement of young changemakers, healthcare professionals and communities working together to make healthcare more accessible.
Our story began with one person asking why the world had to be this way.
It continues with hundreds of people determined to change it.
VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS
Dr. Jennifer Dang (Communication Officer, Vietnam)
Dr. Jennifer Dang is a Junior Doctor in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (University of Auckland). She was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She moved to Auckland, New Zealand, at age 15 to pursue a better education and future career. Despite moving overseas at a young age, “Vietnam still forms a huge part of my identity and undoubtedly holds a special place in my heart” she explains.
Jennifer joined Health in Focus in April 2021 as a Communications Officer because she “was inspired by HIF’s work to address global healthcare, focusing on targeting health inequities”. She follows, “I know we have vulnerable populations here in desperate need of attention, but I never knew exactly how to lend a helping hand prior to this. HIF is a perfect match for my standards and work ethic, and as such, I will get the opportunity to thrive and develop within my role.”
Following unexpected family circumstances, Jennifer returned to Ho Chi Minh in June 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and border closures, she has been unable to return to New Zealand for some time. Whilst stuck in Vietnam, Jennifer completed numerous projects to help the people of Ho Chi Minh City - notably, the creation and review of our 4 Checkpoints for Hand Hygiene Initiative, translation of documents into Vietnamese, establishment of partnerships, and delivery of medication and supplies to orphanages, nursing homes and homeless shelters. “Being able to bring these vulnerable communities the essentials they’ve been lacking, see their positivity and perseverance through the tough times of COVID-19, and seeing how much they appreciate the work we do – it is definitely an unforgettable experience I will always cherish” she says.