Several roofs on the block had already been badly damaged — or torn off entirely — when a storm hit the city in May. They’d been partially repaired. And then, when Hurricane Beryl crashed through Houston last week, “they were torn off again,” said Smith, chief program officer at the Houston-based Spring Branch Community Health Center. “These were the same individuals who were impacted by the storm in May, and they’re still impacted.”

Spring Branch, which cares for an underserved patient population at eight local health clinics, had been hit hard by the storm too. Four of its locations lost power. Staff members were contending with the same issues — damage, power outages, brutal heat — that were affecting their patients.

But leaders and staff alike were determined to be there for their communities. “We have a pretty vulnerable population. Their needs don’t stop with a natural disaster,” Smith said.

That involved simultaneously meeting the most urgent needs — like water, food, and wound care — while preserving continuity of care. Keeping scheduled appointments meant that patients managing chronic diseases, expectant parents worrying about their pregnancies, and kids needing vaccinations wouldn’t slip through the cracks.

“The most vulnerable patients, they suffer during times like this,” Smith said.

At the same time, people who depended on the health center as a community resource needed a place to find supplies and information, to get out of the unrelenting heat, and to charge their phones.

“It’s seat of the pants when [a storm] hits, but we’ve been through several of these,” said Gerard Peperone, Spring Branch’s chief development officer. However, he said, having half the health center’s clinics out of commission added a new wrinkle.

Health care providers would have to double up in the remaining facilities. Call center staff would need to alert patients that their appointment location had changed — and arrange transportation for those who were too far away.

Despite concerns about overcrowding, Smith recalled, the doubled-up clinics moved smoothly. People took refuge in the working air conditioning, patients met with providers, and “you saw phones literally sitting and charging in every corner of the building,” he said.

Spring Branch’s staff filled in the gaps with mobile medical units, which Peperone explained had been provided by Direct Relief after Hurricane Harvey caused widespread devastation in 2017. Staff distributed food and water, supplies donated through the work of local government and community organizations.

In addition, they opened a Direct Relief Hurricane Preparedness Kit, stored at the health center in advance of hurricane season for use in emergencies, to distribute medications and medical supplies.

Spring Branch’s Family Development Center, located in a high-density Houston neighborhood with many immigrant families, was a particular concern. The power was out and providing care in the clinic wasn’t an option. But the center, Smith said, is “kind of the hub in this area” — a place with an onsite Boys & Girls Club and a WIC program offered through University of Texas Health.

“When things like this happen, people generally flock over to the center for all kinds of services,” he explained. “We always feel like we need to be present…Even if we can’t help them, their house has been destroyed, they need a place to come.”

Spring Branch staff set up a mobile clinic outside the center, so a provider could see people who came seeking health care. Smith noted that for many of them, having a provider see kids with respiratory or other illnesses was their top priority. Hot food was available, as was FEMA assistance.

At one point, Peperone remembered, rain started falling heavily while community members were picking up hot lunches. Staff and residents alike ran to move food and supplies into the clinic, so nothing would be lost.

When Smith and Peperone sat down to talk to Direct Relief, power was newly on at all locations. Air conditioners were cooling the overheated rooms so patients would have more places to take refuge. But it was clear that they weren’t stopping for a rest.

“We’re just at the beginning of hurricane season, and they’re thinking that it’s going to be a bad one,” Peperone said. “We need to look at everything we’ve done this time, where are some of the holes that need to be plugged in.”

Because hurricanes will increasingly be a way of life in Houston, which is located on the tropical storm-prone Gulf Coast, Peperone wants to make sure that everyone knows what works — and what to do — when disaster strikes.

“This was more than a dress rehearsal. It was a trial by fire,” he explained. “We now have the components in place.”

Smith agreed. “It’s not a matter of if,” he said. “It’s a matter of when.”

Direct Relief has worked with partners to meet emergency and medical needs caused by Hurricane Beryl since before the destructive storm made landfall. In Texas, the organization has dispatched requested medicines and supplies to a number of health centers, clinics, and others responding to the storm or caring for impacted patients. Shipments have included emergency health kits, each designed to provide medical care for 100 people for three to five days, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, insulin, diabetes supplies, electrolytes, insect repellent, naloxone, personal protective equipment, prenatal vitamins, and other essential support.

Spring Branch Community Health Center received an emergency health kit, eight emergency medical backpacks, and 20 hygiene kits. In addition, a generator to be used for emergency needs and any future outages is being provided.

Direct Relief will continue to work closely with partners to meet health care needs in affected communities, and is committed to replenishing supplies and increasing medical resilience via its Hurricane Preparedness Program.

The post A Houston Health Center Meets Urgent Needs, Protects Long-Term Health in Beryl’s Aftermath appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 15.5 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including cardiovascular medicines, insulin, trauma response essentials, nutritional products, and more.

Supplies for Young People with Type 1 Diabetes Arrive in Djibouti

This week, Centre du Jeune Diabétique de Djibouti, a Direct Relief NGO partner in Djibouti, received 120,000 insulin pen needles. These needles allow the children who are patients of the clinic to reuse insulin pens, a tool for insulin injection that was also donated by Direct Relief (in coordination with Australian NGO Life for A Child) and has been shown to improve outcomes in diabetes management over the previously used method of insulin injection via vial and syringe.

Since 2021, Direct Relief has provided insulin, insulin pens, and insulin pen needles, among other supplies, for around 500 children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in Djibouti. A solar-powered refrigerator was also recently donated to Centre du Jeune Diabétique, equipping their facility with reliable cold storage space for insulin.

Learn more about Direct Relief’s support for those living with diabetes here.

Cambodian Ministry of Health Receives Large Vitamin Shipment

Direct Relief shipped over 64,000 bottles of a micronutrient formulation of 15 vitamins and minerals known as UNIMMAPS MMS, which are proven to have a positive impact on maternal and child health, to Cambodia, where they were received by longtime Direct Relief partner Hope Worldwide and passed on to the Cambodian Ministry of Health.

Hope Worldwide is a U.S.-based organization that operates Sonja Kill Memorial Hospital, a large nonprofit hospital in the Kampot region of southern Cambodia with a special focus on maternal and pediatric care. This region is among the lowest income in the country, and access to prenatal health services remains challenging, and the hospital does not have the logistical infrastructure to support other health facilities. For this reason, Hope Worldwide requested that Direct Relief consider the opportunity to donate critically needed prenatal vitamins directly to the Ministry of Health for distribution around the country to women who are at risk of maternal malnutrition.

Since 2009, Direct Relief has shipped over 43 million defined daily doses of requested medicines to partner organizations in Cambodia and is continuing to investigate ways to increase support to health-focused organizations in the country.

Increasing Medical Capacity in Honduras

Direct Relief and Ruth Paz Foundation unveiled a new medical distribution center in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, at an event on April 4, and the facility will support distribution across Honduras, connecting communities in need with medical aid. Ruth Paz Foundation operates a pediatric hospital in San Pedro Sula, as well as clinic sites and health brigade outreach efforts to bring health care to people in need.

Direct Relief has supported the Ruth Paz Foundation with $34.2 million in medical aid since 2013, in addition to financial support.

Ruth Paz Foundation was able to purchase and modify the facility with a $780,000 grant from Direct Relief, and will eliminate some of the logistical and warehousing barriers faced by nonprofits in the country receiving medical aid.

The warehouse will be a national distribution center for medications and supplies and will provide “a vital support point for the effective distribution of medical donations and supplies to vulnerable communities in an efficient, transparent and rapid manner,” the organization said in a statement.

Direct Relief staff attended the inauguration, including Thomas Tighe, President and CEO, Erick Molina, Senior Manager for Latin America, Ellen Cho, Director of Special Programs, and Jonathan Mangotich, Manager of Corporate Engagement.

operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 14.5 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 323 shipments containing over five tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 6,137 shipments to 1,402 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 58 countries.

These shipments contained 103.3 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2 million lbs.

In the News

Four Medical Institutions of Kherson Region Received 16 Energy Storage Systems from Benefactors – Ukrinform

Recibe Cruz Roja Mexicana 12 Mil Vacunas Contra Covid-19 de Pfizer y Direct Relief – Diario Amanecery

Fundación Ruth Paz y Direct Relief Inauguran Centro de Distribución de Medicinas – Iconos Mag

Cruz Roja Mexicana Recibe Donación de 12 Mil Vacunas Contra Covid-19 – El Universal

Cruz Roja Recibe Vacunas Contra COVID que Aplicarán Gratuitamente – El Valle

2024: Donations Urgently Needed for Sudan – Charity Watch

The post Medical Aid Arrives in 11 Countries, Humanitarian Aid Warehouse Opens in Honduras, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

Distribution of the 73 pallets has begun with the products resupplying field hospitals, mobile medical units, and primary health tents in shelters both in Rafah (Southern) and Deir al-Balah (Central) Gaza. The aid delivery also includes medications to benefit thousands of individuals with chronic diseases, cardiovascular ailments, and injuries, as well as prenatal vitamins and water purification tablets.

Medical items include:

• Diabetes medications and supplies for managing a chronic condition that affects thousands in Gaza
• Drugs to prevent heart failure for individuals suffering from cardiac conditions
• Syringes and needles for administering medications and providing necessary medical care in Gaza
• Sutures and wound care for treating injuries and ensuring proper wound healing in Gaza, where access to medical supplies is limited
• Prenatal vitamins for the health and well-being of pregnant women in Gaza, where access to proper nutrition is a challenge
• Personal protective gear for healthcare workers in Gaza to protect themselves and prevent the spread of diseases
• Water purification tablets and oral rehydration salts for preventing waterborne diseases and treating people for dehydration

As with previous shipments, this delivery to Gaza was the result of weeks of ongoing coordination with various national governments, international agencies, and on-the-ground organizations.

The medical aid that arrived today was airlifted to Jordan from Direct Relief’s California headquarters and distribution center earlier this month. Upon arrival in Jordan, the supplies were received by Anera, which arranged their transport to Egypt. From there, the 73 pallets were divided into three deliveries and driven across the border into Gaza.

The third and final aid truckload arrived safely this morning at Anera’s warehouse in Rafah, Southern Gaza, bringing much-needed aid to civilians facing a dire and still-unfolding humanitarian situation.

Anera, a key regional partner of Direct Relief, is a U.S.-based nonprofit with a longstanding, robust presence and record of providing humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, and Lebanon.

By the numbers: Today’s shipment brings the total amount of aid delivered by Direct Relief to Gaza over the past five months to 37 tons and more than $24 million in value.

Regional assistance: Direct Relief supported Israel with both financial and medical material assistance in the wake of the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, including equipping a 50-bed emergency medical field hospital, delivering dozens of emergency medical packs, and granting $1.6 million in financial aid for first responders and trauma and psychosocial support for survivors.

Direct Relief has also supported the efforts of Anera in the West Bank with 10 tons of requested medical items, including prenatal vitamins, IV solution, and more. Amid a rise in tension and conflict regionally, Direct Relief is responding to humanitarian needs across multiple locations, including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.

What’s next: Direct Relief is also continuing to work with its partners in Gaza and throughout the region to mobilize and coordinate the delivery of more requested medical aid.

This month, Direct Relief signed an agreement with the International Organization of Migration, which will strengthen both organizations to quickly respond to emergency needs, including those in Gaza.

Direct Relief, an apolitical, non-sectarian, and nongovernmental humanitarian aid organization, is committed to responding to health needs and requests for support in Gaza and across the region. All Direct Relief shipments to Gaza and elsewhere in the region will continue to be coordinated and delivered in accordance with U.S. sanctions laws and with necessary approvals from Israeli and Egyptian authorities.

The post Latest Medical Aid Shipment Arrives in Gaza appeared first on Direct Relief.

On March 26, more than 75 tons of medical aid left Los Angeles and is expected to arrive in Adana, Turkey, on Monday night. Upon arrival and customs clearance, the pallets will be trucked to the Syrian border and transported by UN vehicles for distribution to Aleppo and Idleb governorates.

The shipment includes specifically requested medications for diabetes and hypertension, antibiotics, a cholera treatment kit, which can treat more than 100 patients, adult and children’s vitamins, pain relievers, hygiene items for displaced people, wound care supplies, orthopedic braces, PPE, and more.

The supplies will be distributed among the Syrian American Medical Society, Independent Doctors Association, and Syria Relief and Development, all of which provide health care services in northwestern Syria and have been responding since the devastating 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes on Feb. 6.

A second cargo plane charter has been scheduled for the first week in April, with supplies heading to support recovery efforts in Turkey through the Ministry of Health.

Responding to Medical Needs During Recovery

With the death toll reaching 50,000 last week and more than 2.2 million people currently displaced, the recovery effort continues as both countries work to fill gaps in the medical supply chain and healthcare systems – impacts being felt even more significantly in northwestern Syria, where critical infrastructure and services were already lacking due to ongoing conflict.

In the immediate hours following the earthquakes, Direct Relief began assessing needs on the ground. Through communication and coordination with the Ministry of Health of Turkey, as well as several nonprofit medical organizations in both Syria and Turkey, Direct Relief was able to provide critically needed funding to assist with search and rescue efforts within the first 24 hours while simultaneously working to assess medical aid needs.

Current needs in this stage of the recovery process are antibiotics, wound care supplies, prosthetics, medication for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, maternal/pediatric health, cholera treatment, mental health trauma care, and support for doctors and other healthcare staff working and volunteering to provide medical care in the affected regions.

Expansive Support from Across the World

Sunday’s flight and the charter scheduled next week reflect the concern and personal support from people in over 90 countries and the same from multiple companies that have generously issued their support.

The Turkey-Syria earthquake response reflects the broadest geographic reach of philanthropic support for any response in Direct Relief’s 75-year history, with supporters from more than 90 countries worldwide. Direct Relief has received $14 million for the Turkey and Syria earthquake response, of which $5.2 million has been committed/spent so far.

Direct Relief has provided more than $57 million of donated medicines and medical supplies since February 6.
In addition to continuous deployments of medical aid, Direct Relief has infused cash grant support to local organizations scaling up to meet the needs of the moment. More than $2.6 million in financial aid has been committed.

In Turkey

• The Society of Critical Care Medicine received $500,000 to support specialized procurement of trauma care needs and supplies. The organization has active members working in hospitals in Turkey and Syria and is also mobilizing ICU specialists from multiple countries to provide emergency medicine and critical care services in support of the Turkish health system.
• The Turkish Midwifery Association received $100,000 to obtain UN delivery kits. The association has 3,910 members who provide pre- and post-natal home care as well as childbirth services at Turkish hospitals throughout the country. Pregnant women and newborns are particularly vulnerable to health risks in disaster settings, and the funding will pay for supplies to facilitate safe births, as well as personal care supplies for pregnant women and those recovering from birth.
• AKUT, the leading search and rescue team in Turkey with over 400 staff and volunteers, received $100,000 for urban search and rescue efforts. The group also received 100 Direct Relief field medic backpacks for triage care.
• Turkish Society of Nephrology – Renal Disaster Task Force received $20,000 for converted shipping containers to shelters for specialized teams cycling into Adiyaman, Hatay, and Kahramanmaras to provide medical care for crush wounds and resulting kidney issues that occur after acute traumas.
• The Turkish Society of Intensive Care and the Turkish Medical Association have each been awarded $50,000 for the procurement of 10 containerized housing units used for front-line medical doctors and staff.

In Syria

• The Syrian American Medical Society received $1 million for emergency procurement of in-country medications and surgery supplies, bringing total cash support to the organization to $1.6 million from Direct Relief.
• Syria Relief and Development has received $100,000 for emergency operating expenses. This grant follows years of support from Direct Relief to Syria Relief and Development, including financial assistance and donations of medical resources.
• Independent Doctors Association has received $150,000 for emergency operating expenses. This grant builds on years of in-kind support from Direct Relief – more than 10 million doses of medicine since 2021.

Since 2017, Direct Relief has sent 101 shipments, valued at about $199 million in total, to Syria.

The post Seventy-Five Tons of Requested Medical Aid Depart for Syria appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 21.5 million defined daily doses of medication, including antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, diabetes management medications and supplies, trauma care supplies, and more.

Turkey-Syria Earthquake Response

Through assessments and communication with medical organizations operating in the impacted areas of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, Direct Relief has learned that current needs are antibiotics, wound care supplies, prosthetics, medication for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, maternal/pediatric health, cholera treatment, mental health trauma care, and support for doctors and other healthcare staff working and volunteering to provide medical care in the affected regions.

In response, Direct Relief is coordinating its largest shipment to Syria to date, chartering a Boeing 777 cargo plane to transport 75 tons of requested medications and supplies to Syria this weekend. The charter departs from Los Angeles on Sunday, March 26, and will arrive in Turkey the following day. Upon arrival and customs clearance, the pallets will be trucked to the Syrian border and transported by UN vehicles for distribution to Aleppo and Idleb governorates. The shipment includes medications for diabetes and hypertension, antibiotics, a cholera treatment kit (containing medications and supplies to treat up to 120 severe cases or 100 mild cases), adult and children’s vitamins, pain relievers, toothpaste, wound care supplies, orthopedic braces, gloves, and more.

A second cargo plane charter has been scheduled for the first week in April, with supplies heading to support recovery efforts in Turkey through the Ministry of Health.

California storm response

The latest storm in a series of over a dozen atmospheric rivers moved through California this week, bringing more rain to areas already experiencing flooding. In response, Direct Relief has been supporting community groups and healthcare facilities in flood-impacted areas across the state.

This week, Emergency Health Kits departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara today for Tule River Indian Health Center in Porterville, California. The center is assisting those affected and displaced by destructive flooding in the area.

Read more about Direct Relief’s response to recent California storms here.

Material aid for Ukraine

Several NGOs focused on health in Ukraine received medical aid from Direct Relief over the past seven days, including Kharkiv Renovation Fund and AICM, which received critical medications and emergency medical field packs.

Since Feb. 24, 2022, Direct Relief has provided medical aid to Ukraine weighing more than 2.6 million pounds, or 1,300 tons, with more on the way.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped 20.9 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

• Ukraine
• Syria
• Ghana
• Armenia
• Sri Lanka
• Honduras
• Burkina Faso
• Turkey
• El Salvador
• Kenya

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 481 shipments containing over 28 tons of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

• Agape Clinic, Texas
• Lifecycles Health Services, Inc., New Jersey
• Faith Family Medical Clinic, Tennessee
• Bethesda Health Clinic, Texas
• Community Care Center, North Carolina
• Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department, California
• Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center, Inc., Mississippi
• Eunice Community Health Center, Louisiana
• Cloverdale Citizens Emergency Response Team, California
• NOTEP, Louisiana

YEAR-TO-DATE (GLOBAL)

Since Jan. 1, 2023, Direct Relief has delivered 3,374 shipments to 1,229 healthcare providers in 53 U.S. states and territories and 52 countries.

These shipments contained 154.8 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $361.5 million (wholesale), totaling 2 million lbs.

In The News

Startup Curae Pharma360 partners with Direct Relief to distribute free contraceptives to safety-net clinics – Fierce Healthcare: “Curae Pharma360, a pharma startup focused on women’s health, has teamed up with Direct Relief to distribute emergency contraception to safety-net clinics.”

The post Preparing Air Charter Shipments for Syria and Turkey, California Flood Relief appeared first on Direct Relief.

Though many more people died in the 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the latest outbreak of the disease, which began in August 2018, has a higher fatality rate, concerning health officials and prompting neighboring countries to screen travelers.

Containing the deadly outbreak has been complicated by political upheaval and armed conflict. But hospitals and health centers are working to continue treating patients even while taking precautions to protect themselves.

Since the Ebola outbreak began last August, Direct Relief has sent $8.59 million in medical aid to health facilities across the Democratic Republic of Congo to bolster continued medical care.

Insulin has been shipped to DRC’s Diabetes Association, which has distributed insulin to children depending on the medication to manage their diabetes as part of the Life for a Child program. Fistula repair surgeries also continue to take place for women suffering from the debilitating childbirth injury, high rates of which are found throughout the DRC. Fistula repair modules, containing surgical supplies for the surgery and recovery period, have been sent to several hospitals across the country, including St. Joseph’s Hospital, located in Kinshasa. Heal Africa, located in Goma, has also received supplies to enable fistula surgeries to continue.

As the outbreak continues, Direct Relief is supporting facilities across the DRC as well as in neighboring countries like Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

In southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Community Hospital, located in Buhoma Kinungu, has also taken precautions to train staff as they carry out care for patients. A shipment of essential medicines, including IV fluids, antibiotics, prenatal vitamins and other requested items is en route to the hospital currently from Direct Relief.

Health needs persist, even against the backdrop of disease and conflict, but health staff across the DRC, and region, are working to see patients, just as they always have.

The post Essential Medicines Bolster Health Facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo as Ebola Threat Looms appeared first on Direct Relief.

But for staff at the Jericho Road Wellness Clinic in Goma, that chaotic backdrop hasn’t kept them from keeping one thing at the forefront: their patients.

The health center is operating as normal, despite election turmoil and an Ebola outbreak, the epicenter of which is about 120 miles from the clinic’s front doors.

The clinic’s patients — many of whom are pregnant women and children facing intractable poverty — are among Goma’s most vulnerable residents.

“These people are often the ones who suffer the brunt of war and political unrest,” said Dr. Myron Glick, founder and CEO of Jericho Road Community Health Center.

In December, Goma clinic staff were busy, watching over 61 births, 17 of which required c-sections, attending 162 prenatal appointments and managing a feeding program for 166 children.

“One of the major challenges in the DRC is that most health care is not free, even for the poorest and most vulnerable,” Glick said, adding that pregnant women and children aren’t able to access care when they need it. Those delays can have devastating consequences, and can explain the high incidence of obstetric fistula seen in eastern Congo.

The Wellness Clinic is providing a vital service to women traveling through the clinic’s doors to deliver their babies.

“In the midst of this upheaval, Direct Relief is continuing to be a major help to our work in Goma,” Glick said.

Last week, a shipment of essential medications, including blood-pressure medications and prenatal vitamins, arrived at the clinic to support ongoing patient care. Direct Relief has supported Jericho Road’s Clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Buffalo, New York with $13.9 million in medical aid since 2015.

Jericho Road staff are also laboring under the threat of the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. As of Jan. 14, 385 people have perished in the outbreak that began six months ago. More than 600 people have been infected with the disease, and the death rate is more than 60 percent, according to the World Health Organization.

Containing the highly infectious disease has been complicated further by political instability. Armed groups and localized violence have limited the ability of responders to control the outbreak.

“Despite a determined international medical community and Congolese Health Ministry response, including the vaccination of over 58,000 local people, new cases continue to be diagnosed every day,” Glick said.

The country, which has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power, is also in the midst of a turbulent election cycle, and a government-imposed information blackout has kept internet, radio broadcasting and cell phone service down for three weeks.

Just to confirm that the medical shipment from Direct Relief arrived, Jericho Road staff reported crossing the border into Rwanda, where email could be accessed.

Glick said he and his staff are praying the outbreak will be contained and that no cases will be diagnosed in a city as large as Goma. That’s where more than 1 million people live and an outbreak would have “disastrous” consequences.

The Wellness Clinic screens every person who enters first for Ebola, “and thanks to Direct Relief, our team has plenty of personal protective equipment if ever needed,” Glick said.

The post In Ebola’s Shadow, Caring for Patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo appeared first on Direct Relief.

Each of the midwives, nurses and staff at Maison de Naissance have a host of stories about the mothers they’ve aided and the babies they’ve helped enter the world.

Rigeur recalled working the night shift on an evening that Maison de Naissance was surprised with five births. One of these – a young mother in her early twenties, hiding her pregnancy from her family – went into labor at only about 28 weeks along, and when the baby was delivered, it did not cry. Rigeur found a heartbeat, but the baby was not breathing. The nurse spent over 30 minutes using a manual resuscitator on the newborn.

Slowly, though, the baby’s color began to change, and a loud cry rang out. After an hour of recovery at the clinic, mother and child were sent to the general hospital in neighboring Les Cayes for follow-up.

The presence of Rigeur and the other midwives at Maison de Naissance can mean the difference between life and death. Giving these trained professionals the tools they need to do their essential work is also key.

That’s why Direct Relief has provided midwife kits to the clinic since 2016. Each kit contains 59 items a midwife needs to perform a safe birth, including sterile gloves, sutures, infant resuscitator and medications like misoprostol, which is used to treat postpartum bleeding.

The clinic where Rigeur and other staff treat their patients sits within the area of Haiti hardest hit when category 4 Hurricane Matthew passed through in October, 2016. Direct Relief was the first to send help after the hurricane made landfall, delivering supplies via helicopter including two medical tents, two solar suitcases, hygiene kits, midwife kits, and prenatal vitamins, according to clinic director Rosena Baptiste. Direct Relief also funded repairs to Maison de Naissance.

Inside the clinic’s waiting area is a large board, which showcases a tally of the clinic’s monthly services. Maison de Naissance is the only facility of its kind in the town of Torbeck, and it’s not unheard of for a patient to travel 2 to 3 hours in order to reach the clinic,  The journey doesn’t keep women away, no matter the distance. Staff recalled one woman traveling from Port-au-Prince for care after the 2010 earthquake. Another made the hours-long journey – on horseback – from the rural village of Le Petre.

Every month, the staff at Maison de Naissance care for as many as 2,500 patients between their facility and their community agents. Anywhere from 15 to 45 births take place each month, said Baptiste.

Baptiste is a midwife herself and has been with Maison de Naissance since its beginning in 2004. Her background as a midwife is important not just to run the clinic, but of practical necessity. One evening, in particular, having stayed late at the clinic for a meeting, Baptiste found herself assisting with a rush of five births that overwhelmed the usually quiet night shift. One of the births was particularly difficult, and Baptiste did not leave until 7 a.m. the next morning.

Many of the staff are from Torbeck, including midwife Medela Margarette. She said she’s very happy to be serving her community and knows they’re appreciative because they tell her so when she’s out on the street.

Margarette came to Maison de Naissance as a nurse, having previously worked in Port-au-Prince. After six years, she jumped at the chance to expand her medical knowledge and attended the midwife program at Midwives for Haiti, and has been working as a midwife for the five years since.

Occasionally mothers will come to Maison de Naissance to deliver and not have anything for their newborns. One of Margarette’s favorite parts of the midwife kits was that they included materials they could use to help these patients, including towels and baby clothes.

Margarette tells the story of one older woman who came into Maison de Naissance to give birth. There was no reason for them to suspect there would be any complications, however, as the woman was giving birth she started to hemorrhage. Margarette immediately made a hemogram and was able to treat the hemorrhage within ten minutes.

There is no questioning Maison de Naissance’s importance within the community it serves. Because it is not connected to the public health system, the clinic is the only free-standing maternal health clinic in Haiti with a permanent license to operate from the government, according to Jim Grant, Executive Director of the Global Birthing Home Foundation.

Grant said it is one of the few clinics in Haiti that carries the vaccination for RH disease, a condition that arises when a mother’s blood is not compatible with that of her fetus.

After seeing the devastation wrought on the area in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, plans by the Global Birthing Home Foundation are going forward to build a community center just down the road that can double as an emergency shelter in times of need.

In the meantime, the midwives of Maison de Naissance carry on their life-giving work, one shift at a time.

– Liam Storrings is a photojournalist for the nonprofit J/P HRO.

The post Midwives Create Safe Haven for Women and Babies in Southwestern Haiti appeared first on Direct Relief.

Zarway completed her midwifery training more than 15 years ago in Grand Gedeh County, Liberia, and has since served in a number of midwifery positions across two of Liberia’s most isolated counties.

In June 2016, just as Last Mile Health was beginning to scale CHW programming to Rivercess County, the Ministry of Health’s Rivercess County Health Team hired Zarway to serve as the Maternal and Child Health Supervisor at the Neezuin Clinic, a small primary care facility in a remote region of the county. In this role, she delivers babies and administers antenatal and postnatal care services to new and expectant mothers. She also conducts six outreach visits per week to the remote communities in the clinic’s catchment area to deliver antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, and childhood vaccinations. Having completed additional training through the Ministry of Health, Zarway is also responsible for facilitating and monitoring treatment adherence amongst patients with TB and HIV/AIDS. When she travels out to the villages by motorbike for her weekly outreach visits, Zarway carries a vaccine cooler containing essential medicines and a backpack with tools and supplies, including a stock of prenatal vitamins donated by Direct Relief that she distributes to new and expectant mothers.

In a highly remote context where many women live hours from the nearest health facility, it is of particular importance that pregnant women receive antenatal care – including supplementation with prenatal vitamins and early identification of potential complications – to ensure that they have healthy pregnancies. As a result of the challenges that women living in remote communities face to accessing care — especially in emergencies — maternal, neonatal, and child health are critical. In these areas, Last Mile Health’s CHW program and the Ministry of Health’s outreach activities complement one another to bridge the gap between remote communities and the public health system. This collaboration results in lifesaving impact across the continuum of care.

When Zarway identifies that a patient is at risk of complications or nearing the time for delivery, she advises and supports the patient to travel to Neezuin and find temporary accommodation near the clinic, so they have access to a safe, facility-based delivery. When it comes time for delivery, essential supplies like sterile instruments, sutures, and necessary medications provided through Direct Relief Midwife Kits ensure that Zarway has the tools she needs to conduct safe delivery.

Once they complete their training on maternal and neonatal health services later this year, Last Mile Health’s CHWs in Rivercess County will begin counseling the women in their communities to further encourage uptake of the antenatal care and facility-based delivery services that Zarway and her fellow midwives provide. CHWs will also be trained to recognize danger signs in mothers and neonates, and will be empowered to facilitate timely referral to the nearest clinic where necessary.

In the meantime, Last Mile Health’s CHWs in the Neezuin Clinic catchment area are already building on the work that Zarway is doing by providing integrated community case management (iCCM) of childhood illnesses including malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and acute respiratory infection in children under five. Where Zarway’s outreach and facility-based work are ensuring that women living in and around Neezuin have access to the care they need to safely give birth to healthy babies, Last Mile Health is ensuring that the babies Zarway delivers do not suffer from preventable and treatable illnesses on account of living far from facility-based care.

Not long ago, many believed that providing high-quality health services to Liberia’s remote communities was simply too difficult. Together, with the Liberia Ministry of Health and partners like Direct Relief, Last Mile Health is already achieving impact as it works towards its vision of a health worker for everyone, everywhere, every day.

This article was contributed by Last Mile Health’s Rachel Larson. 

About Last Mile Health

Last Mile Health recruits, trains, equips, manages, and pays Community Health Workers (CHWs) who provide lifesaving health services to their fellow villagers in Liberia’s extremely remote “last mile” villages. CHWs serve as a critical link between isolated communities and the public-sector health system. In addition to providing basic maternal, neonatal, child, and adult health services, CHWs ensure that patients requiring advanced care are referred to the nearest clinic or hospital and that all expectant mothers have access to safe, facility-based delivery.

To advance its mission of saving lives in the world’s most remote villages, Last Mile Health has partnered with Direct Relief and the Liberia Ministry of Health to provide Midwife Kits and prenatal vitamins to public clinics and hospitals in remote regions of Liberia to ensure that all expectant mothers have a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. The following profile of a Certified Midwife named Zarway illustrates the value and importance of investing in maternal health interventions to serve women and their babies in last mile communities.

To learn more about this incredible organization, visit lastmilehealth.org.

The post Zarway, a Midwife Success Story from Last Mile Health appeared first on Direct Relief.

The inspiring thing about philanthropy is that no one needs to donate to charity, yet they do. They donate to help people they’ve never met who live in places they’ve never visited.

And when they’ve given what they can, they find ways to give more: they sell lemonade to their classmates; they rally their office to wear jeans on Fridays;  they play Zelda for six days straight.

For all that, 100 percent of their donation – no matter its size – should count.

Digital currency such as bitcoin makes it possible. With minimal to no fees, smaller donations via bitcoin can avoid the hefty percentage that’s often lost in transaction fees through standard payment methods. This allows anyone who wants to donate to do so – whether it’s $5 or $0.05 – and ensures their donation will count.

It’s why Direct Relief is excited to partner with ChangeTip — a micropayment platform that allows anyone, anywhere, to donate any amount.

Microdonations for Micronutrients

Taking prenatal vitamins is a proven, cost-effective, and recommended protocol for pregnant women. A nine-month supply of prenatal vitamins  costs only $5 or 0.02 bitcoins. Unfortunately, access to these vitamins is extremely limited in many parts of the world.

Inadequate nutritional intake during pregnancy can greatly increase the risk of dying during childbirth, or of giving birth to an underweight or impaired infant. Vulnerable populations that live in poverty and lack access to a variety of nutritional foods are at even greater risk.

Through August 26, Direct Relief and ChangeTip are teaming up to provide 2000 expecting mothers in Liberia and Sierra Leone with prenatal vitamins.

Visit directrelief.org/bitcoin to learn about the campaign and get involved.

The post Every Bit(Coin) Counts appeared first on Direct Relief.