What the Doctors are Doing: Interview with Dr. Dave Stevens from the Christian Medical and Dental Associations

We’re thrilled for the release of Trade of Innocents in the fall and want to invite you into our excitement. We’re interviewing people and organizations on the subject of human trafficking in preparation for the movie. Perhaps you’ve heard of some of our friends. Maybe some of these names will be new to you.
So far in this series, we’ve explored many different facets of the fight against human trafficking. Today, we are here with Dr. Dave Stevens, CEO of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA), to discover what the medical field is doing to combat slavery:

1. What led to the formation and your involvement with CMDA? How did you find out about the needs and how did you know where to start meeting them? 

The Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA) began in 1931 when a group of medical students gathered at Northwest Medical School for mutual support and to better understand how to integrate their faith with the practice of medicine. From those humble beginnings CMDA has grown to outreach on 242 medical and dental campuses, graduate ministries, short term teams to take care of the poor in this country and around the world, services and resources healthcare professionals and a large public policy outreach as we serve as the voice of our over 16,000 members. 

CMDA has over 700 members that serve long term in developing countries in mission hospitals, community health work and in training programs. A good number of these are involved in caring for victims of human trafficking. As a doctor in Kenya for eleven years after finishing my training, I saw and took care of women who were trafficked. 
Subsequently, I started and led the emergency medical relief programs for Samaritan’s Purse in Somalia, Sudan, Bosnia and Rwanda and saw the terrible plight of women during civil wars and ethnic conflicts. For the last 18 years, I’ve been leading CMDA to change hearts in healthcare and mobilize healthcare personnel to give of their expertise to people in need. 

2. How would you describe the role of CMDA and its impact in the fight to abolish trafficking? 

About 10 years ago, Dr. Jeff Barrows, an OBGYN, began to lead our efforts in human trafficking. We have been involved in three major areas:

1) We are working at the national level to catalyze programs to train US and overseas physicians in recognizing and rescuing victims of human trafficking who come into their practices. Studies show that when victims seek medical care is often one of the few opportunities to recognize their plight and do something about it. CMDA has created education programs on human trafficking that also provide educational credits for healthcare professionals 

2) We provide care for human trafficking victims around the world. Global Health Outreach, our short-term medical program, sends medical/dental teams to Nicaragua, India and Cambodia to provide medical services to both women still trapped in trafficking and those that have been rescued and are being rehabilitated. 

Each of the teams needs non-medical volunteers to help in the clinic, pharmacy and registration areas. We are also mobilizing members to be involved in providing care for victims in their own practice area. One great example of this is Dr. Barrows who has quit his practice and is setting up a rescue site on his farm for trafficking victims in Ohio. 

3) We are working at the national level with the US Ambassador on Human Trafficking to get more federal funding devoted to this area. 

3. What surprised you the most in learning about human trafficking?
To educate our trustees, all physicians and dentists, we held one of our board meetings in Managua, Nicaragua, the sex tourism capital of Central America and then had them stay over and spend a week working at the House of Hope. We started the week by visiting two bordellos on Sunday afternoon to invite the women to attend the clinics we held. The greatest shock of the week was taking care of victims of child prostitution as young as six who had been rescued. 

4. How has your vision been shaped in this process? 

Our goal is to do more and more to wipe out this scourge of modern day slavery all over the world. 

5. How can the average citizen get involved with CMDA or help in the fight against human trafficking? 

Get involved with Global Health Outreach on one of our week or two week trips to help victims around the world. Check them out. More countries are being targeted with teams and not only will your heart be broken and blessed through your service, but you will provide critically needed help to victims. 

6. What is one of your favorite memories from your time with CMDA?



Our mission is to transform doctors to transform the world. One of my favorite memories is seeing our Women in Medicine and Dentistry physicians group become captivated with by the victims of trafficking and go back again and again to help them. Not only did they transform the lives of many victims but they were transformed as well. I understand that so well. I remember a young girl kidnapped from her home and forced into prostitution. As I examined for venereal disease and heard her story, as a physician I was transformed into a passionate advocate for these victims.  
Thank you, Dr. Stevens, for sharing with us another facet of the picture!

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