Local Roots and Global Reach
For 60 years, MCD Global Health has partnered with communities to advance health and well-being worldwide. As we celebrate this milestone, we’ll reflect on our journey of six decades of evidence, partnership, and progress toward health for all.
Sixty years ago, breakthroughs in treating heart disease, cancer, and stroke were transforming medicine across the U.S., but those advances weren’t reaching many of the rural and underserved communities who needed them most. As the nation launched a bold, new vision to close that gap, a group of health leaders saw an opportunity to reshape health services in Maine.
In 1966, they founded Medical Care Development with one clear belief: every community deserves access to the best modern medicine, no matter its size, geography, or resources.
They began by connecting hospitals, clinicians, public agencies, and local voices into a stronger, more coordinated system, a system capable of bringing lifesaving innovations into everyday practice. From investing in training and research to inspiring young people to pursue health careers, MCD was built to help Maine thrive in a rapidly changing era of medical science.
That founding purpose quickly carried MCD beyond Maine. Early success in strengthening rural health systems led to national and international partnerships, ultimately shaping the global organization we are today. But the heart of our work hasn’t changed: bridging the distance between innovation and equitable access.
Today, MCD works alongside partners in Maine, across the U.S., and Africa, supporting health workers, strengthening systems, and helping communities close the gaps that still stand between people and the care they deserve.
What began as a small, local group of visionaries in Maine has grown into an organization with global reach that has worked in more than 50 countries, grounded in the same promise we made in 1966: to bring the latest advances in health to where they are needed the most.
years since established in Maine, U.S.
total countries worked in around the world.
dedicated team members around the world.
