Medications and supplies shipped this week included rare disease therapies, cancer therapies, insulin, and more.

MPOX Response Continues in Congo

As mpox cases continue to climb in Africa, educational efforts to curb the disease are taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Direct Relief recently awarded a grant of $50,000 to the nonprofit Jericho Road for mpox response, and prevention and treatment programs that are taking place in the three IDP (internally displaced people) camps near their facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC.

The Jericho Road Wellness Center is based in Goma, DRC, near three large IDP camps in North Kivu, and the spread of mpox in these camps was noted as an area of concern by Africa CDC. The province of North Kivu is home to over 2.5 million internally displaced people, and conflict and insecurity throughout the region have caused the additional displacement of over 500,000 people in North Kivu over the last year, which has played a factor in the recent mpox outbreak.

Jericho Road held mpox awareness and preventative health training sessions for community facilitators from camps where thousands of displaced people are living. The trainings covered hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, transmission of contagious diseases, and more. The facilitators will be training those in their communities about infection control and protection and prevention.

Direct Relief has worked with Jericho Road during previous outbreaks, including during the 2019 Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC. Direct Relief and Jericho Road worked to deliver PPE to the North Kivu provincial Department of Health, and the organizations are exploring the same approach as North Kivu is experiencing some of the highest rates of mpox in Africa.

Cancer Therapies Arrive in Gaza

Cancer therapies and essential medicines arrived recently at the Cancer Center at European Gaza Hospital to support treatment of people living with cancer.

The cancer center is a vital lifeline to care for those needing care, and seven pallets of requested medications were purchased locally by Anera in the West Bank, with $250,000 in financial support from Direct Relief. The local purchase of the medications allowed for the treatments to be swiftly delivered to the hospital.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 586 shipments containing 2 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 13,673 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 24.2K shipments to 2,419 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 89 countries. These shipments contained 396.6M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.6B (wholesale) and totaled 5.0M lbs.

in the news

Reflecting on 24 Years of Crisis Care at Direct Relief – Santa Barbara Independent

Celebrating the Relief Chief – The Montecito Journal

Direct Relief Secures Spot as the Fifth Largest U.S. Charity, Forbes Reports – Edhat

The post Medical Aid Reaches 16 Countries, 45 U.S. States appeared first on Direct Relief.

Included in medications shipped this week were rare disease therapies, vitamins, personal protective equipment, insulin, and more.

Direct Relief CEO Awarded Highest Civilian Honor in Ukraine

In Kyiv earlier this week, Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe received the Honorary Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Ukrainian parliament’s highest civilian honor that is bestowed for exceptional contributions to Ukraine’s democratic development, civil harmony, and legislative progress. A 40-minute feature interview with Tighe regarding the award will air nationally across Ukraine.

Since 2022, Direct Relief has provided over $1.3 billion in medicines, medical supplies, and financial grants to support nonprofits serving the Ukrainian people.

During the visit to Ukraine and the surrounding region, Direct Relief representatives toured critical healthcare facilities of grantees, including the new Protez Foundation prosthetic clinic and the recently upgraded UNBROKEN facility. The renovations at UNBROKEN include a state-of-the-art prosthetics center, a training center, an eight-story residential housing unit, and significant enhancements to a 500-bed hospital.

According to UNBROKEN officials, the facility now handles an average of 250 emergency patients daily—a number that has doubled since the war began.

Direct Relief Ranked as a Top U.S. Disaster Response Nonprofit by Forbes

Direct Relief was profiled in a Forbes feature this week, which referred to the organization as, “one of the most respected and older organizations in the disaster relief business.”

From the article: Direct Relief may pump more aid into disaster relief in the U.S. and abroad than any other charity on the new Forbes list, depending on who’s counting and how. In the year ended June 30, 2024, it received $2.4 billion in medical supply and cash donations and reckons it used $775 million of that to aid victims of, among other tragedies, the Maui, Hawaii forest fires, the earthquake along the Syria/Turkey border, wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, and hurricanes and floods in the U.S. and abroad. The rest went to providing non-disaster medical supply aid to ongoing projects in 50 countries on five continents.

The article goes on to profile how Direct Relief leverages existing relationships and pre-positioned aid shipments to respond quickly and effectively in the wake of disasters. Forbes also details the organization’s focus on the video gaming community as a source of support.

Forbes ranked Direct Relief as number five on its annual Top 100 Charities list.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 592 shipments containing 1.8 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 12.7 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 55,869 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 23,700 shipments to 2,406 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 89 countries. These shipments contained 393.6 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.6B (wholesale) and totaled 5 million lbs.

in the news

• When Disaster Strikes, These Top Charities Actually Deliver – Forbes
• Nonprofit Director and Future PA Delivers Critical Care During Natural Disaster – AAPA
• Teva Announces New Patient Access Program with Direct Relief to Provide Access to Inhalers for Uninsured Patients
• Direct Relief ranked No. 5 largest U.S. charity | Pacific Coast Business Times
• Direct Relief Ranked No. 5 Largest U.S. Charity

The post Direct Relief Earns Top Ukrainian Civilian Medal, Top Ranking from Forbes appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this month included anesthesia medications for surgery, cancer therapies, insulin, rare disease medications, and more.

Medical Support Arrives in Haiti

Critical medical aid from Direct Relief arrived recently in southern Haiti to support healthcare providers working to reach patients.

A medical shipment containing antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, IV fluids, personal protective equipment, and more was received by staff from NGO Hope for Haiti. The organization runs Infirmary St. Etienne, a healthcare facility in Les Cayes, Haiti, which provides primary care, referrals, and medication for patients in need.

Shipping medical donations into Haiti continues to be challenging, particularly as the main international port in the capital of Port-au-Prince is regularly disrupted by gang violence. Recently, commercial flights have been suspended due to attacks on airlines looking to land at the capital city’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

Direct Relief has been working with local organizations in Haiti to support medical needs dynamically as shipping routes and roadways change due to the country’s security situation.

The supplies from Direct Relief will support Infirmary St. Etienne, as well as mobile clinics and other partner healthcare facilities in southern Haiti.

Direct Relief Awarded for Earthquake Response in Turkey

Direct Relief staff were in Ankara, Turkey, this week to meet with local organizations supported as part of the recovery from the 2023 earthquake that devastated large portions of the country.

Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe spoke at the National Congress of Public Health, where Direct Relief was given several awards, from the Association of Public Health Specialists of Turkey. Direct Relief supported the organization in the efforts to strengthen women’s health in Hatay after the Feb 23 EQs.

Direct Relief also received an award from the Psychiatry Association of Turkey and the Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey for support during earthquake response and recovery.

Critical Medical Aid Supports Lebanon’s Health System

Six tons of medical aid, including medications, vitamins, and field medic packs for triage care recently arrived in Lebanon. The shipment, received by Anera, will be distributed to public hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the country, in coordination with Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.

YemenAid CEO Visits Direct Relief

This week, Direct Relief hosted YemenAid CEO Summer Nasser, who spoke about the organization’s work in Yemen and Direct Relief-supported efforts to strengthen health services in the country.

Nasser spoke about the challenges of strengthening medical care amid conflict and lack of infrastructure, including limited electricity and clean water access. Direct Relief has supported the organization with more than $12.5 million in medical aid since 2017, including cancer treatment therapies for breast cancer clinics in the country.

The organization has also received more than $360,000 in financial aid, including funds that supported two oxygen plants that strengthen hospital capacity for critical services.

Humble Bundle Selects Direct Relief as Charity of the Month

Humble Bundle announced this week that Direct Relief will be its featured charity of the month for December, continuing a partnership that has raised more than $10 million to support health and humanitarian efforts worldwide. Contributions from Humble’s community have been instrumental in funding disaster response efforts, including recent support for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, wildfires, and global crises.

As Dr. Byron Scott, Direct Relief COO, shared: “For more than a decade, Humble Bundle has stood alongside Direct Relief, helping ensure people in crisis have access to the care they need. With support from the Forward Fund, Direct Relief is ready for disasters before they even happen and able to respond whenever they occur. We are profoundly grateful for Humble Bundle’s partnership and to the Humble community.”

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 373 shipments containing 709,279 doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.6M defined daily doses of medication totaling 26,291 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 23.1K shipments to 2,392 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 89 countries. These shipments contained 379.9M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.5B (wholesale) and totaled 4.9M lbs.

in the news

• At the Top! International Relief Agency Based in Santa Barbara Gets 100% Charity Navigator Rating – KCLU
• Santa Barbara Nonprofits Say “Giving Tuesday” Can Change the World – KEYT
• Global Impact, Local Roots: The Mission of Direct Relief – Noozhawk
• Philanthropy in the 21st Century – Civil Dialogues Podcast – Pacific Coast Business Times
• Direct Relief Supports First Responders in Spain After Devastating Floods – Angels in Medicine
• In Yemen, Midwives Learn New Skills to Support Women and Babies – ReliefWeb
• Direct Relief Earns Top 100% Rating by Charity Navigator for 2024 – 3BL

The post Strengthening Healthcare Services in Haiti appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this month included vitamins, personal protective equipment, personal hygiene essentials, and more.

Ultrasounds, Essential Care Included Midwifery Training in Yemen

In an effort to build resilience and foster sustainable healthcare solutions in Yemen, local NGO MedGlobal, supported by Direct Relief, recently conducted a training program aimed at strengthening healthcare systems and empowering local healthcare providers in Yemen to deliver life-saving care in resource-limited settings.

Hosted at MedGlobal’s newly established training center at Al-Tawahi Health Facility in Aden, Yemen, the training involved 30 midwives and doctors who gained advanced skills to overcome the challenges of providing maternal and newborn care in underserved areas.

Providers took part in several courses, including training on point-of-care ultrasounds, and essential care for more mothers and newborns.

Expanding Substance Abuse Treatment in Puerto Rico

Recently, Direct Relief participated in the inauguration of a medication-assisted treatment clinic of the health center, SANOS, located in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The new building provides integrated physical and mental healthcare services as well as buprenorphine treatment for patients recovering from substance abuse.

In 2021, SANOS received a $765,000 grant from Direct Relief to expand clinic space that would house the medication-assisted treatment clinic. Since 2018, Direct Relief has awarded $1,096,400 in grant funding to SANOS, including funds for a medical mobile unit, telehealth efforts, equipment for a women’s clinic, and support of donated medications.

The clinic will provide integrated services for people in recovery with a multidisciplinary team, and the SANOS space will soon house a dental clinic for patients as well. SANOS incorporated a multipurpose room that will serve as a community hub and shelter during emergencies.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 1,800 shipments containing 5.6M doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 18.5M defined daily doses of medication totaling 411,724 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 22.6K shipments to 2,375 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 376.1M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.5B (wholesale) and totaled 4.8M lbs.

in the news

Civil Dialogues – Philanthropy in the 21st Century, with Thomas Tighe – Pacific Coast Business Times

A New Generation of Doctors Looks to Health Centers for Residency – Community Health Forum

The post In Yemen, Midwives Learn New Skills to Support Women and Babies appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included prenatal vitamins, cancer treatment therapies, personal protective equipment, field medic packs for triage care, diabetes management medications, and more.

Continued Response to Historic Flooding in Spain

Earlier this month, the Spanish province of Valencia experienced unprecedented rainfall and flooding, causing widespread damage and displacing thousands of residents. In response, Direct Relief provided a $135,000 emergency cash grant to Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras, or BUSF, a Spanish search and rescue organization, to support their deployment to the affected region.

The 17-member BUSF emergency response team recently concluded its operations, which focused on search and rescue efforts, medical evacuations, and clearing critical infrastructure to restore emergency logistics. The grant from Direct Relief enabled the team’s mobilization and funded essential equipment, including water pumps and generators.

In the aftermath of the acute response phase, BUSF is planning to collaborate with the local Red Cross and other agencies to address ongoing health and water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. To support these efforts, Direct Relief is preparing a shipment of 36 field medic backpacks and 200 personal care kits with hygiene items such as soap and shampoo.

Direct Relief remains committed to supporting those impacted by these disasters and adapting its response efforts to meet evolving global needs.

Protective Equipment Departs for Health Workers Battling Mpox

As part of its ongoing efforts to combat the mpox outbreak in Africa, Direct Relief is preparing to ship mpox response kits to support health efforts as cases surpassed 50,000 across the continent last week.

Since the outbreak began, Direct Relief has partnered with Jericho Road and the Wellness Clinic at New Hope Center in Goma to provide critical support. This has included grant funding that enables Jericho Road staff to treat patients in internally displaced persons camps and curb the disease’s spread.

Direct Relief’s mpox response kits contain essential medical resources, including personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, N-95 masks, goggles, and shoe covers to protect up to 100 healthcare workers. Each kit also contains medications for pain management and skin irritation, wound care supplies, and disinfectant wipes for up to 1,000 patients.

Bomb Cyclone Slams Pacific Coast

Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are experiencing heavy rain, damaging winds, and rising snow levels from a strong atmospheric river and bombogenesis (“bomb cyclone”), lasting through Friday and possibly lingering through the weekend. Storm-impacted communities in the region are expecting power outages, flash floods, and potential mudslides.

Direct Relief has been in touch with the California Office of Emergency Services, state and regional primary care associations, health centers, and clinics in impacted areas.

When It Matters Most, Direct Relief Delivers

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 438 shipments containing 577K doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 2.7M defined daily doses of medication totaling 31,246 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 22.3K shipments to 2,313 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 374.9M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.5B (wholesale) and totaled 4.8M lbs.

The post Recovery Continues in Spain After Deadly Flooding appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included prenatal vitamins, cancer treatment therapies, personal protective equipment, field medic packs for triage care, diabetes management medications, and more.

Critical Medications Equip Medical Responders Treating Patients with Cholera

Medications and supplies for the treatment of cholera recently arrived in Juba, South Sudan, where a cholera outbreak presents a threat, particularly for children.

South Sudan, formed in 2011, is the world’s newest country and faces multiple converging challenges, including ongoing domestic ethnic conflict, economic instability, and unprecedented flooding. These issues have been further exacerbated by the civil war in Sudan, which has led to an influx of over 684,000 Sudanese refugees flowing over the border into South Sudan.

A cholera outbreak was recently identified at a location where many people had fled from Sudan into South Sudan, and health authorities are working to contain the spread, which can be exacerbated in areas without access to clean water and sanitation services. Cholera can be particularly dangerous for children, who can become dehydrated rapidly from the disease.

Recently, a Direct Relief-donated cholera treatment kit was received in Juba by the International Organization for Migration South Sudan. The organization provides essential services such as shelter, healthcare, and sanitation in camps for people who have been displaced within the country. This includes camps in Bentiu, which host between 100,000 to 160,000 displaced people.

Direct Relief’s shipment included a wide variety of essential medications for IOM’s work in IDP camps throughout the country. With cholera cases on the rise in South Sudan and regionally, Direct Relief’s shipment of a cholera treatment kit, designed to treat up to 280 patients, as well as field medic packs for use by first responders in the IDP camps, arrives at a critical time for medical providers in South Sudan.

Direct Relief’s partnership with IOM in South Sudan will facilitate medical aid for patients at border crossings, IDP camps, and IDP centers, supporting care in high-need humanitarian settings.

Honduras Braces for Rain, Flooding as Tropical Storm Sara Barrels Through Region

Tropical Storm Sara was drenching Honduras with heavy rains on Friday, and authorities were warning residents of possible landslides and flash flooding.

Direct Relief has been in communication with local organizations and health facilities in Honduras and across the region this week as they prepared for the tropical storm. The organization has also been coordinating with the Pan American Health Organization on regional needs.

On Friday, a dengue treatment kit, which contains items for the prevention of the spread of the mosquito-borne illness, was staged for shipment to Honduras.

The kit is bound for Ruth Paz Hospital in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a facility that offers care for people unable to pay for services. Dengue has claimed more than 100 lives this year in Honduras, according to the country’s ministry of health, and total cases were around 100,000 in August of this year. Flooding and standing water resulting from Tropical Storm Sara could create ideal conditions for more mosquito-borne diseases.

In response to increased cases of dengue fever across Latin America and the Caribbean, Direct Relief developed the dengue treatment kit, which contains mosquito repellant, repellant wipes, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen for adults and for children, and thermometers. There is no cure for dengue fever, but the items in the kit aim for prevention of the disease and supportive care of a person experiencing the illness.

Earlier this year, Direct Relief shipped field medic packs, packed with items for triage care outside of clinic walls, as well as a hurricane preparedness pack to the Honduran Red Cross, located near Tegucigalpa, the country’s capital city. The hurricane preparedness packs, which are shipped each year in advance of Atlantic storm season, are pre-positioned in hurricane-prone areas and stocked with medicines and supplies commonly requested after large storms. Medications include first aid items, chronic disease medication, water purification supplies, and more to keep health facilities operational after a disaster.

Midwife Kits Arrive in Nigeria

Midwives supporting healthy births in Nigeria recently received tools and supplies to help mothers and babies. Direct Relief-donated midwife kits, which contain items to support up to 50 facility-based births, recently arrived at the St. Charles Hospital and Maternity Wing in Adoka, Nigeria.

The country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, according to the World Health Organization. The U-VOL Foundation received the kits and will be distributing them to midwives at the facility.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 509 shipments containing 1.7M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 5.3M defined daily doses of medication totaling 54,570 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 21.8K shipments to 2,299 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 371.6M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.5B (wholesale) and totaled 4.8M lbs.

In the News

Calmer winds help firefighters make progress against California’s Mountain Fire – NBC News

How victims of California’s Mountain Fire can find help — and how others can donate or volunteer – CBS News

Direct Relief responds with thousands of masks for those who are inhaling ash in Ventura County – KEYT

IMSS recibe donativo de 30 mochilas tácticas para atender emergencias – MSN

Twitch Streaming Isn’t Just For Gamers Anymore – Yahoo Entertainment

The post As Outbreak Rages, Cholera Treatment Kits Arrive in South Sudan appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included personal protective equipment for those impacted by wildfire smoke, field medic packs for triage care, rare disease therapies, and more.

Direct Relief Responds Locally to California’s Mountain Fire

As the fast-moving Mountain Fire tears through large areas of Ventura County, it is destroying dozens of homes, filling the air with smoke and particulates, and forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate. Direct Relief staff are on the ground in the county this week to distribute N95 respirators — more than 12,000 thus far — and other emergency support to residents and responding partners, including the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services.

At Direct Relief’s headquarters in Santa Barbara, about an hour north, staff have loaded additional respirators and supplies for transport to the Ventura Family YMCA, Camarillo Family YMCA, Ventura County Health Care Agency, and the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project. Shipments of emergency medical packs, developed for field medics responding to disasters, personal care kits for displaced communities, and a wildfire kit are being prepared in Direct Relief’s medical warehouse for the Westminster Free Clinic and Planned Parenthood Central Coast, both local health providers.

To support disaster response and containment, Direct Relief provided funding to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, which is using a helicopter retrofitted for large water drops to fight the Mountain Fire from above.

Because Ventura County is an agricultural center, impacts on farmworkers laboring outdoors are a particular concern. Local agencies and groups, including the Ventura County Farm Bureau, have received respirators for distribution to agricultural workers.

Direct Relief staff members, distributing N95 respirators to county residents at the Ventura Family YMCA, heard concerns that protective masks have been difficult to find, and that people with respiratory health conditions are concerned about impacts from poor air quality.

The scale and speed of the Mountain Fire’s destruction indicate that additional medical support, from respiratory treatments like inhalers to chronic disease medications, is likely to be called for. Direct Relief will continue collaborating with partners to assess and respond to medical needs.

After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, A Long Road to Recovery

Despite large-scale recovery efforts, hurricane-affected communities across the southeastern U.S. still confront threats from contaminated water, widespread displacement, housing shortages compounded by many thousands of damaged structures, and financial hardship. Health impacts are widespread, as is the need for medical resilience and long-term care access.

As of November 7, Direct Relief had awarded $750,000 in emergency operating grants to 30 healthcare provider partners in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee, enabling them to safeguard and expand health care access, including mobile clinic services and mental health care, to storm-impacted communities.

Direct Relief had also dispatched more than 180 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid valued at nearly $3.1 million to 35 healthcare providers responding to the needs of storm-affected communities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Antibiotics, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, over-the-counter products, personal protective equipment, and medications to manage chronic diseases were urgently requested and provided. Direct Relief also delivered epinephrine, oral rehydration salts, re-entry kits, water purification tablets, and vaccines for Covid-19, hepatitis A and B, influenza, and tetanus. Covid-19 vaccines, epinephrine, hepatitis A and B vaccines, influenza vaccines, naloxone, oral rehydration salts, re-entry kits, tetanus vaccines, and water purification tablets to responding organizations.

Cumulatively, the organization prepositioned 30 Hurricane Preparedness Packs with safety net providers in states affected by the hurricanes ahead of the 2024 Atlantic storm season. At least three health facilities in Florida and Georgia opened their prepositioned packs in response to the hurricane.

In addition, Direct Relief has committed more than $4.8 million for the design, installation, and maintenance of clean, resilient power systems at 11 community health centers in Florida and North Carolina through its Power for Health Initiative. Installation was recently completed at two facilities within eastern North Carolina’s Goshen Medical Center network, one of which would have lost power following Hurricane Helene but for its newly installed system. In 2025, Direct Relief plans to partner with at least six additional health facilities along the Gulf Coast for new projects.

As part of its ongoing support programs, Direct Relief has delivered more than 650 shipments valued at more than $7.2 million to more than 220 healthcare providers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia since Hurricane Helene made landfall.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 529 shipments containing 2.5M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 10.1M defined daily doses of medication totaling 48,234 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 21.3K shipments to 2,290 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 364.6M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4B (wholesale) and totaled 4.4M lbs.

In the News

Mountain Fire burns over 20K acres; 132 structures, mostly homes, destroyed, 88 damaged – Ventura County Star

CRE: Community Health Center unveils new battery system – Pacific Coast Business Times

At Florida Health Centers, “A Rush of Folks” Seek Mental Health Care in Hurricane Aftermath – Community Health Forum

The post As Mountain Fire Exceeds 20,000 Acres, Response Continues appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included field medic packs for triage care, diabetes and hemophilia-focused medicines, anti-inflammatories, personal protective equipment, anesthetics, rare disease therapies, and more.

Tropical Storm Trami Hits the Philippines, Larger Region

Tropical Storm Trami made landfall in the northeastern Philippines last week, killing at least 152 people. Known locally as Kristine, the storm brought heavy flooding and landslides which, along with strong winds, have hampered relief efforts.

In an initial response, Direct Relief, which has staff based in the Philippines, offered field medic packs equipped with medical essentials to the Philippines’ Department of Health and to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, and remains ready to respond to requests from partner organizations in the area.

The Philippines, the greater Southeast Asia region, and China were hit earlier this year by Typhoon Yagi, which killed dozens of people, and by Typhoon Gaemi. Direct Relief coordinated with the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) to assess and respond to needs throughout Southeast Asia.

Major flooding has also taken place throughout the year in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. In India, the flooding triggered a major mudslide in July. A medical bus purchased with Direct Relief funds by Amrita Hospital in Kerala, India, was deployed in response. This week, a requested three-pallet shipment was dispatched to Dhulikhel Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, in response to flooding and landslides in that country.

Flood events in South Asia are frequently connected to cyclones and tropical storms. After landfall in the Philippines and Vietnam, they weaken into low-pressure systems as they move inland. Within a week, these systems reach the Himalayas, where they can generate heavy rainfall that flows southward, leading to flooding in Nepal and extending into northern Pakistan and India.

Direct Relief will continue to respond as needed.

Direct Relief Storytelling Reaches New Global Audiences

Direct Relief’s co-produced short documentary with the BBC, the “Invisible Impacts of Wildfires,” was screened this week at the Tel Aviv International Film Festival by CINEVERSE. The documentary explores survival and resilience five years after the devastating Camp Fire in Butte County, California. Through the voices of healthcare providers at local health center Ampla Health and survivors, the video reveals harrowing, life-or-death moments from that day and the sustained efforts to rebuild and protect a community’s vital medical clinic, with a focus on resilient power, thereby ensuring care for all, no matter the challenge ahead.

The short doc premiered at the BBC Studios in New York City last year, has also been shown at the World Health Organization’s Health for All Film Festival, COP28 UAE in Dubai, and screened at Direct Relief’s headquarters with a panel featuring former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, UCSB Professor Olivier Deschenes, Washington Post Journalist Brianna Sacks. According to the BBC, the series has over 25 million views across social media.

“Invisible Impacts of Wildfires” is part of the BBC’s “The Climate & Us” series, which explores the global link between climate and health, as well as highlighting innovative healthcare solutions.

Supporting Local Veterans in Santa Barbara County

Last weekend, local nonprofit Santa Barbara County Veterans Stand Down held its 12th annual event to support veterans who are homeless or otherwise at-risk with free access to food, legal services, clothing, hygiene items, haircuts, medical care, social services, and more. Direct Relief, headquartered in Santa Barbara County, California, supported the event with donated personal care products, including soap, razors, and other hygiene items, sunscreen, and N95 masks.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 366 shipments containing 916,012 doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.1M defined daily doses of medication totaling 16,811 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 20.6K shipments to 2,282 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 351.5M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4B (wholesale) and totaled 4.4M lbs.

In the News

Heat, Carnival donate $2M to Direct Relief in support of hurricane recovery efforts – NBA.com

Going solar! Ventura County clinic gets solar power system which keeps it running during blackouts – KCLU

Teva, in Partnership With Direct Relief, Honored by U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for Mental Health Efforts – Accesswire

Community Health Centers cuts ribbon on solar, battery system at Skyway Telehealth Center – Santa Maria Times

The post Responding to Tropical Storm Trami in Southeast Asia appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included field medic packs for triage care, thyroid medications, anti-inflammatory medications, personal protective equipment, rare disease therapies, and more.

Mobile Health Services Reach Hurricane-Battered Communities

Emergency response continues for Direct Relief as communities in the southeastern U.S. recover from back-to-back hurricanes.

As of October 25, Direct Relief had dispatched 111 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid valued at nearly $2.5 million to 26 healthcare providers responding to the needs of storm-affected communities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Among medical items shipped are antibiotics, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, over-the-counter products, personal protective equipment, and medications to manage chronic diseases, as well as tetanus vaccine, hepatitis A and B vaccines, epinephrine for allergic reactions from bee and yellow jacket stings, oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets.

Recently, Dr. Yousef Motii, a clinician for Oceana Community Health who has been providing medical outreach in the Spanish Lakes community, which was hard-hit by tornadoes during Hurricane Milton’s path, delivered Direct Relief-donated hygiene items to the community. Dr. Motii also used a Direct Relief field medic pack to support the triage care of patients.

This week, Direct Relief announced $700,000 in direct cash support to 28 organizations providing healthcare services in hurricane-impacted communities. These grants are designated to individual health centers, charitable clinics, and other nonprofit providers responding to these crises, in order to keep health care services accessible to low-income patients affected by these disasters.

Critical Anti-Infection Therapies Arrive in Gaza

An eight-pallet shipment of antibiotic therapies recently arrived for cancer patients in Gaza living with reduced immunity. The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital has historically treated thousands of patients with cancer in Gaza, but the hospital became non-operational until a recent relocation of services to Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

NGO Anera, which worked with Direct Relief to transport the donation into Gaza, delivered the medication to the hospital’s relocated facility, which includes a cancer treatment center.

Direct Relief continues to provide humanitarian support to Gaza and regionally. So far in 2024, Direct Relief has provided more than $255 million in requested aid across the region, including to Egypt, Gaza, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, West Bank, and Yemen.

California Free Clinics Convene at Direct Relief

Representatives from more than 33 free clinics across the state of California convened this week at Direct Relief.

The California Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Annual Conference and Membership meeting met in Direct Relief’s Hatch Hall on Friday morning, kicking off a two-day conference, covering topics including sustainable funding strategies, legal and policy issues, and the current landscape in the state for free and charitable medical care.

Direct Relief staff welcomed the clinic representatives, briefing attendees on the history of the organization, Direct Relief’s work to support free clinics in the state during wildfires, floods, and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as product support available for request.

Since 2008, Direct Relief has supported 71 free and charitable clinics throughout California with more than $30 million worth of medicines and medical supplies. Fifteen clinics across the state have also received $1.29 million in cash grants to support programs focused on health equity and mental health.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 445 shipments containing 1.8M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.7M defined daily doses of medication totaling 22,179 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 20.3K shipments to 2,269 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 349.5M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4B (wholesale) and totaled 4.3M lbs.

In the News

After Hurricane Helene, Pop-Up Microgrids Powered Medical Clinics, Water Generators, Communications Equipment, and Other Critical Resources – Microgrid Knowledge

Familiar with disaster, New Orleans-area residents step up to help after Hurricanes Helene, Milton – NOLA.com

As Hurricane Milton hits Florida, how New Yorkers can help loved ones in harm’s way – CBS News

Hurricane Milton: How to donate, receive help in Palm Beach County – The Palm Beach Post

This San Diego Health Center Offers Patients a Career Focused on Community – Angels in Medicine

Solon Schools’ Comet Care initiative seeks to provide relief for hurricane victims – Cleveland.com

Amid Haiti Turmoil, Direct Relief and Partners Test New Pathways for Insulin Donations – Angels in Medicine

The post After Hurricanes, Mobile Medicine Meets Patients Where They Are appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included insulin, vitamins, medication refrigeration systems, and more.

Supporting Health Providers after Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall over Florida’s Big Bend region and triggered historic flooding and landslides across western North Carolina, Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, a barrier island off Florida’s southwest coast. Hurricane Milton’s arrival brought hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall of up to 18 inches, and dangerous storm surge, and triggered more than 120 tornado warnings across central and southern Florida.

In North Carolina, relief and recovery efforts—including debris removal, service restoration, and the delivery of emergency food, water, and other assistance—continue now nearly three weeks following Hurricane Helene’s passage. As of October 16, state officials had verified 95 storm-related deaths, while nearly 100 people remained missing.

Direct Relief’s hurricane response

In response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Direct Relief has made available $78 million in essential medicines and medical supplies to community health centers, free and charitable clinics, and other healthcare partners in hurricane-affected areas.

In addition, Direct Relief has committed $750,000 in emergency operating grants to 30 healthcare provider partners, many of which have reported storm-related damages, loss of medicines, and site closures due to continued communications, power, and water outages. The grants seek to provide a financial cushion, enabling these safety net providers to launch critical mobile health and community outreach initiatives, procure urgently needed supplies, and cover other unanticipated expenses following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

As of October 17, Direct Relief had dispatched 77 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid valued at nearly $1.5 million to 21 healthcare providers responding to the needs of storm-affected communities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In addition to commonly requested items, such as antibiotics, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, over-the-counter products, personal protective equipment, and medications to manage chronic diseases, Direct Relief is responding to increased requests for tetanus vaccine, hepatitis A and B vaccines, epinephrine for allergic reactions from bee and yellow jacket stings, oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets, reflective of the widespread flooding and water service outages in many storm-affected areas.

Direct Relief is also preparing to deliver re-entry kits comprising personal protective equipment intended to minimize the risks associated with returning to one’s community or property following a disaster event to support communities in North Carolina that experienced significant flooding.

In addition to these emergency relief efforts, Direct Relief continues to support healthcare providers in states affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as across the U.S., with ongoing donations of essential medicines and medical supplies. Since Hurricane Helene’s landfall, Direct Relief has delivered 243 shipments valued at more than $1.9 million to 116 healthcare providers in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

–Reporting by Sofie Blomst

Coordinating Emergency Response and Logistics in Africa

This week, Direct Relief staff visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to meet with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, the Ethiopian Diabetes Association, and the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service. Direct Relief also conducted site visits with ongoing program support partners.

A shipment of emergency supplies from Direct Relief was delivered to the Ethiopian Ministry of Health this week, coinciding with the organization’s visit, in response to the devastating landslides that occurred in Ethiopia’s Gofa zone over the summer, which resulted in over 250 fatalities. Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa and 10th most populous in the world. On Thursday, Direct Relief met with Her Excellency Dr. Mekdes Daba, the Ethiopian Minister of Health, to present Direct Relief’s history of support to Ethiopia and new opportunities for closer cooperation with the MOH.

Direct Relief met with the Africa CDC Headquarters to discuss the ongoing mpox outbreak that has been spreading through Central and West Africa. The two organizations coordinated an emergency response for the current mpox outbreak, and have begun developing a strategy for Direct Relief to continue to support Africa CDC’s disease outbreak responses continent-wide. The current outbreak has led to 31,166 suspected cases and 844 confirmed fatalities, 87% of which have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Health Center in North Carolina Completes Resilient Power System

The Goshen Medical Center, in Clinton, North Carolina, received the state’s second solar power system from Direct Relief’s Power for Health initiative. The health center’s solar power system is now fully operational and will provide reliable power for up to 26 hours off grid.

Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative seeks to bring clean, renewable backup power to community health centers and free clinics to ensure they can deliver critical healthcare services during power outages.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 627 shipments containing 2.7M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 3.1M defined daily doses of medication totaling 43,450 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 19.8K shipments to 2,261 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 346M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4B (wholesale) and totaled 4.3M lbs.  

In the News

• North Carolina is distributing Benadryl and EpiPens as yellow jackets swarm from Helene flooding – AP News
• Hurricanes’ hidden toll: Thousands of deaths years after they strike – The Washington Post
• How to help after Hurricane Milton and what to do if you need aid – The Washington Post
• Here’s how to help victims of Hurricane Milton – NBC News
• Direct Relief CEO shares how the non-profit will help Floridians impacted by Hurricane Milton – CBS News
• How to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene: Charities, organizations to support relief efforts – ABC News
• How to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene: Charities, organizations to support relief efforts – Good Morning America
• Hurricane Milton – Charity Navigator
• Here’s what it is like to be a Hurricane Helene first responder – Fast Company
• Here’s how New Yorkers can help Hurricane Helene victims in NC, Florida – Yahoo! News
• SONIC SUNSHINE – LIVESTREAM BENEFIT, OCTOBER 18, 8PM (E) A Show of Unity & Support to Raise Funds for Hurricane Relief
• How tri-state residents can help Hurricane Milton victims – NBC New York
• Take action to help those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton – The Obama Foundation

The post With Recovery Underway, Medical Aid Advances for Those in Path of Hurricanes Helene and Milton appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included personal protective equipment, surgical necessities, rare disease therapies, and more.

One Year Later, Morocco Continues to Recover After Devastating Quake

The 2023 Morocco earthquake devastated the region, recording more than 2,900 casualties and over 5,500 injuries from the quake. Internal displacement in the country peaked at an estimated 500,000 and over 50,000 homes were totally or partially collapsed across the five provinces affected. The remote, largely indigenous Amazigh villages of the High Atlas Mountains that were most impacted by the earthquake are also home to many of the country’s most vulnerable populations.

In response to the earthquake, Direct Relief mobilized more than 20 tons of material aid as well as more than $600,000 in funding to support acute and long-term recovery efforts focused on search and rescue operations, emergency maternal and child health services, ambulance procurement, resilient solar power for health centers, and building of a community health center.

Recently, Direct Relief staff visited Morocco to meet with partner organizations that received emergency funding in response to the 2023 earthquake.

Direct Relief visited the ongoing construction of Mayshad Community Health Center in Tansghart, Al Haouz district. This primary health center will serve 687 families in the earthquake-affected, remote villages of Tansghart in the Atlas Mountains and is expected to be completed in early 2025.

Direct Relief staff also visited the Asni Women’s Health Center, which provides labor and delivery services, pre-and post-natal care, and general gynecological services for the area and clinicians there see an average of 80 women per day.

The 10 solar panels installed on the roof of the clinic provide the energy needed to consistently power essential medical equipment including newborn incubators, vaccine refrigerators, patient monitoring devices, as well as administrative systems for the center. This installation is one of 30 centers receiving solar panel systems as part of a $105,000 grant from Direct Relief to fund long-term earthquake recovery, implemented by local Moroccan NGO, the Illy Foundation.

U.S. Overdose Numbers Drop

For the first time in a decade, deaths in the U.S. due to drug overdose are down, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A decline of roughly 10.6 percent in deaths caused by drugs has been recorded by national surveys taken by the CDC. One reason for this decrease is due to the availability and education of naloxone, an overdose-reversing drug, according to public health experts.

Direct Relief has distributed more than 2.7 million doses of naloxone since 2017, including to public health departments, educational institutions, harm reduction groups, health centers, and free clinics across the United States.

Naloxone Support Across the U.S.

Opioid Crisis

Responding to the Opioid Crisis in West Virginia

oPIOID cRISIS

‘No One Else Has To Die’: L.A.-Area Group Fights Overdoses

oPIOID cRISIS

NOLA Providers Step Up for Patients in Recovery

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 572 shipments containing 1.3M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 3.4M defined daily doses of medication totaling 60,765 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 18.1K shipments to 2,192 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 86 countries. These shipments contained 333.8M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.2B (wholesale) and totaled 4M lbs.  

The post Resilient Power Shines After Morocco’s 2023 Earthquake appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medications shipped this week included rare disease therapies, diabetes management medications, chronic disease treatments, and more.

Expanding Resilient Power for U.S. Healthcare Safety Net

This week, Direct Relief announced a new $10 million commitment to bring clean, resilient backup power to more facilities that serve low-income people in medically underserved areas across the United States.

Extreme weather events and emergency situations create enhanced health risks for people who rely on nonprofit health facilities. Such events create new health risks and the need for expanded health services, even as the availability of services is likely to be severely reduced or lost due to power outages.

Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative provides grant funding to health clinics that serve vulnerable and underserved patient populations to cover the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of solar power and battery storage microgrids. The nonprofit clinics and health centers own the systems and derive 100% of the benefits – the resiliency benefits coming from batteries that provide power in the event of an outage, and the immediate and recurring financial benefits of reduced utility costs coming from generating their own electricity through the solar panels.

More Power for Health projects continue to come online at nonprofit clinics and health centers nationwide, with 20 completed projects in Puerto Rico, Louisiana, North Carolina, and California and dozens in the design and construction pipeline – including in Texas and Florida. The latest facilities where Direct Relief-funded resilient power systems have been completed include Harmony Health Medical Clinic (Marysville, CA), in an area prone to explosive wildfires, and Goshen Medical Center (Tabor City, NC), at high risk of hurricanes.

Read more.

Most Powerful Storm in a Decade, Super Typhoon Yagi Strikes China

A powerful super typhoon struck southern China on Friday, bringing wind speeds of more than 138 miles per hour to the island of Hainan. Super Typhoon Yagi made landfall on the island located south of mainland China, and about 400,000 residents had been evacuated to higher ground ahead of the storm, the strongest recorded in the region since a 2014 storm that killed 46 people.

The storm is expected to cause major damage in Hainan and China’s most populous province, Guangdong. Yagi’s path caused impacts in the Phillippines earlier this week.

Direct Relief is monitoring the storm and its impact and will respond to the region as needed.

Medical Support Arrives for Ukrainian Hospitals

Relief for Ukraine continues, and this week a Direct Relief shipment arrived for distribution in Mykolaiv, located in southern Ukraine. Medicines for treatment of epilepsy, medications for heart conditions, wound dressings and surgical supplies and IV fluids were all included, and will be distributed by the organization Ukrainian Soul to hospitals and emergency medical centers in the region.

Since February 2022, Direct Relief has provided more than $1.3 billion in support to Ukraine and refugees in surrounding countries.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 302 shipments containing 179,948 doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

AROUND THE WORLD

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 6.5M defined daily doses of medication totaling 66,227 lbs., to countries including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 17K shipments to 2,125 partner organizations in 54 US states and territories and 85 countries. These shipments contained 316.0M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.0B (wholesale) and totaled 3.8M lbs.  

In the News

• iHeartRadio Hosts Direct Relief
• Native Health Phoenix “Native Talk Arizona” Features Direct Relief
• The Best Natural Disaster Response is to be Prepared – Newsday

The post Medical Support Departs for 15 Countries, U.S. Safety Net Facilities Get a Resilient Power Boost appeared first on Direct Relief.

Medical aid delivered this week included antibiotics, personal protective equipment, and cancer treatments.

Strengthening Solar Energy Capacity in Africa

This week, with funding from Direct Relief, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health commissioned a solar power installation to support the energy needs of the Bo Government Hospital. The installation will provide reliable power for 70% of the hospital’s energy intake. The energy will ensure medical oxygen is readily available for patients 24/7.

This initiative is part of the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) Africa Infrastructure Relief and Support (AIRS) project, which was first started in 2023 to bring lifesaving oxygen to hospitals in The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

The SCCM AIRS project received a $5.5 million grant from Direct Relief.

Learn more about the SCCM AIRS project here.

Supporting Community Health Centers in the U.S.

Last week, Direct Relief attended the National Association of Community Health Centers’ annual Community Health Institute and Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. The community health centers provide affordable, comprehensive healthcare (often including medical, dental, behavioral health) and support services, to the country’s most vulnerable populations. Direct Relief provides ongoing support to these clinics for patient care, including during times of disaster.

Direct Relief was also recognized by NACHC as a ‘Partner of Choice’ and Direct Relief’s Chief Operating Office Dr. Byron C. Scott spoke on a general session panel with HLTH, Instacart Health, and AltaMed Health Services, a community health center in Los Angeles, California.

The panel, titled ‘Beyond the Medical Exam Room/Social Determinants of Health,’ invited the speakers to detail how their organizations are addressing healthcare gaps through technology, healthy food access, patient education on policy impacts, and providing access to medications that many patients, served by health centers, cannot afford.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped 317,544 defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 313 shipments containing 189,554 doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 16,600 shipments to 2,108 partner organizations in all 54 U.S. states, four U.S. territories, and 85 countries.

These shipments contained 309.3 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1 billion (wholesale) and totaled 3.8 million pounds.

In THE NEWS

• Emergent’s Smallpox Vaccine Picks Up FDA Nod for Mpox as Africa Outbreak Spreads – FiercePharma
• ICN Partners with Humanitarian Aid Distribution Experts Direct Relief to Maximize the Efficient Delivery of Disaster Relief Supplies – ICN News
• OECS Commission & Direct Relief Announce Partnership Agreement to Enhance Climate Health Resilience in OECS Member States – ReliefWeb
• In a Wealthy County, Uninsured Patients Struggle with Grief and Trauma — This Therapist Helps Them Heal – Angels In Medicine
• CA Program Combats Shortage of Medical Assistants – Public News Service

The post Supporting Resilient Energy and Oxygen in Africa appeared first on Direct Relief.

Recent shipments include ongoing medical support for health facilities in Haiti. Other therapies shipped include medications for breast cancer, rare diseases, and more. Some high-volume supplies delivered this week included surgical drapes, sodium chloride, and N95 masks.

Mpox Declared Global Health Emergency Again

The WHO declared mpox a global health emergency on Aug. 14, 2024, marking the second time the disease has received such a status, the first being in 2022. Case counts have escalated significantly in Africa, with more than 38,000 cases and hundreds of deaths reported across 15 African Union Member States since 2022. In 2024 alone, there has been a dramatic increase in cases, with 15,000 reported, representing a 160% rise from last year, and 500 deaths.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the most affected, accounting for about 96% of all cases and 97% of deaths this year. Children under 15 are particularly vulnerable and comprise the overwhelming majority of deaths. The outbreak’s rapid spread, especially to displaced persons camps, and the limited access to vaccines and treatments, underscore the urgent need for support.

The DRC declared the mpox outbreak an epidemic in December 2022, and since then, it has spread throughout the country. The emergence of new genetic variants and limited resources have further complicated response efforts.

The outbreak’s expansion to other countries in Africa, including South Africa, Central African Republic, and Nigeria, highlights the growing regional crisis. The need for medical supplies, vaccines, and capacity building is critical to managing this escalating health emergency.

On Monday, Emergent announced that Direct Relief would receive a donation of 50,000 doses of a vaccine for mpox, as well as diluent solution, needles, and syringes required for administration. The donation includes 50,000 doses of ACAM2000®, (Smallpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live) for potential deployment across often difficult-to-reach locations, and as informed by local and regional health authorities.

Direct Relief is preparing to send the vaccines and other aid to health facilities and organizations in impacted countries that include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and others. Direct Relief is working with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other organizations to coordinate in-country storage, logistics, and distribution of the vaccines.

Atlantic Hurricane Season Continues

Atlantic hurricane season has so far seen five major storms which have directly led to at least 88 fatalities and more than $8 billion in property damage. This season has seen the earliest recorded Category 5 storm on record, with Hurricane Beryl in July. Hurricanes Beryl and Debby have been the most destructive, severely impacting Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, northern Venezuela, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

The National Hurricane Center is currently tracking four tropical systems, which have the potential to build into more powerful storms and hurricanes. None are expected to hit the mainland U.S., Caribbean, or Mexico next week. U.S. Hurricane Season officially ends on November 30.

In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Hone is predicted to impact Hawaii starting on Saturday, with Hawaii’s Big Island most directly in the storm’s path.

Medical Essentials Arrive in Haiti

Haiti has been in the midst of a rise in civil unrest this year, making aid deliveries challenging amidst a breakdown in logistics networks and security. Direct Relief supported local partners with cash grants to procure supplies locally while ports were closed, and has since resumed material support. Direct Relief has supported Haiti with $430.7 million worth of medical aid since 2010.

Recently, the latest in a series of shipments, including wound care items, diabetes management supplies, prenatal vitamins, and more arrived in Cap Haitien, located in northern Haiti, where Haiti Health Network operates. The organization transported medical aid to multiple health facilities as part of its distribution network, which includes midwifery and birthing centers as well as hospitals and primary care locations.

Direct Relief has provided Haiti Health Network with more than $1.7 million worth of medical support since 2022.

Direct Relief Hosts Brazilian InstrumentalistS

This week, Direct Relief hosted instrumentalist and composer Alejandro Brittes, who shared his award-winning music and his experience before, during, and after the recent environmental catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil before a live audience at Direct Relief during his North America tour to raise awareness and support for recovery efforts. Brittes appeared alongside Andre Schmidt Ely and Carlos Eduardo de Cesaro, all members of the Alejandro Brittes Trio.

This past spring, the State of Rio Grande do Sul was devastated by torrential rain and extreme flooding that impacted nearly 90% of the state’s municipalities and more than 2.3 million people.

In response, Direct Relief has been working with the Brazil California Chamber of Commerce, the Pan American Health Organization, and local organizations on the ground in Brazil to provide nutritional supplements, field medic packs for triage care, and emergency funding.

Read more about Direct Relief’s response to the floods.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 10.1 million defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 364 shipments containing 631,426 doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 16,300 shipments to 2,102 partner organizations in all 50 U.S. states, four U.S. territories, and 83 countries.

These shipments contained 308.8 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $990 million (wholesale) and totaled 3.7 million pounds.

In THE NEWS

• Negotiations Progress on Mpox Vaccine for Africa as Cases Spike in Burundi – CIDRAP
• Emergent Joins Mpox Fight with 50,000 Vaccine Dose Donation to Africa – Pharmaceutical Technology
• Emergent Pledges 50K Doses of Smallpox Vax to Help Address Mpox Outbreak in Africa – Fierce Pharma
• As Case Numbers Climb from Deadly Mpox Outbreak, Direct Relief Secures Critical Vaccine Donation – Relief Web
  

The post Medical Support Departs for Haiti, 20 Additional Countries Over the Past Week appeared first on Direct Relief.

These shipments contained 12 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, diabetes therapies, rare disease treatments, oncology medications, field medic packs for first responders, and more.

Waters Rise After Hurricane Debby

After Debby’s landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday, the storm was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm, and then had a second landfall early Thursday, bringing tornadoes, flooding, and power outages.

On Monday, the Florida Association of Community Health Centers reported at least 71 health centers experienced partial or full closure due to Hurricane Debby. In response to Debby, Virgina B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic, a free clinic in Port Charlotte, Florida, reported opening their Hurricane Preparedness Pack to access chronic disease medications for impacted patients.

The packs are staged in hurricane-prone areas across the U.S. Gulf Coast in advance of Atlantic Hurricane season at the start of each year and contain medical essentials commonly requested after storms.

Direct Relief also recently supported Virginia B. Andes in 2022, after the clinic was hit by Hurricane Ian. This week, Direct Relief shipped requested chronic disease medications and personal care items to the clinic to support their work with patients.

Shipments also departed this week to the University of Florida Mobile Outreach Clinic, which has been providing care for agricultural workers and other community members impacted by the storm in the Gainesville area. The Way Free Medical Clinic in the Jacksonville area also received Direct Relief support, and the Neighborhood Medical Center in the Tallahassee area received diabetes management supplies, medical consumables, and other requested items this week.

As more health facilities come online, Direct Relief expects more requests for support and will continue to respond.

Park Fire One-Third Contained in Northern California

Wildfire response in Northern California is ongoing as the Park Fire, which is currently about one-third contained, continues to rage north of Sacramento.

Last weekend, Direct Relief staff traveled to the region to deliver requested medical aid, including to facilities in Butte County, where the 2018 Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed thousands of structures in the Paradise area. Direct Relief staff delivered aid last week to Butte County Public Health’s warehouse, partly funded by Direct Relief, which will eventually be used to consolidate medical supplies in a single location to increase efficiency.

Staff also met with Butte County Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer team that provided door-to-door evacuation notices, mapping support, and coordination efforts with the sheriff’s office during the Park Fire. They also housed 20 firefighters in their training center during the Park Fire response.

Their Rescue 3 vehicle was funded by Direct Relief and has been used as a model for other SAR teams across the state. Each of their response vehicles will now have an emergency medical backpack with medical essentials for triage care.

Medical supplies were also delivered to Shingletown Medical Center and Ampla Health’s health centers in Magalia, Gridley, and Los Molinos.

More wildfire response kits, which contain medical essentials commonly requested during fires, including respiratory and ophthalmic medications and N95 masks, are currently being built and will ship out next week for Butte County Public Health and community health centers in the area.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 10.9 million defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 449 shipments containing 1.1 million doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 15,300 shipments to 2,068 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 83 countries.

These shipments contained 281.9 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $911.7 million (wholesale) and totaled 3.5 million pounds.

In THE NEWS

• Santa Barbara Non-Profit Helping Those Impacted by Catastrophic Flooding in Florida – KCLU
• Beyond the Backpack: Direct Relief and FedEx Revolutionize Disaster Relief – FedEx
• Breast Care International Donates Essential Medicines to Ghanaian Health Facilities through Direct Relief – OncoDaily

The post Hurricane Debby, California Wildfire Responses Remain at the Forefront appeared first on Direct Relief.

These shipments contained 11 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, rare disease therapies, oncology medications, field medic packs for first responders, and more.

Responding to California’s Largest Wildfire

A week into the response, first responders continue to battle California’s largest wildfire. The Park Fire spans across four counties in Northern California: Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama Counties. The fire has spread to almost 400,000 acres and was 24 percent contained on Friday. Residents in the area have received alerts to evacuate their homes.

Direct Relief-supported organizations in the affected areas include the Butte County Public Health Department, Shingletown Medical Center, and Ampla Health. This week, Direct Relief staff delivered field medic packs to equip first responders for triage care outside of clinic walls, N95 masks, electrolytes, oral rehydration salts, and personal care items for people displaced from their homes.

$10 Million for Ukraine Response

This week, Direct Relief announced an additional $10 million commitment to further support healthcare services in Ukraine. The funds will be used to address urgent medical and health infrastructure needs like prosthetics and rehabilitation services, resilient power solutions, flexible primary care solutions, access to essential medications, and mental health and psychosocial support.

Since Feb. 2022, Direct Relief has committed over $42 million in financial assistance and 2,480 tons of medical aid valued at $1.3 billion to support health services in Ukraine.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 10.9 million defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 415 shipments containing 139,105 doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 14,800 shipments to 2,046 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 82 countries.

These shipments contained 270.9 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $884.3 million (wholesale) and totaled 3.5 million pounds.

In THE NEWS

• Direct Relief Deploys Emergency Medical Backpacks Thanks to Support of FedEx – KEYT
• Non-Profit Giant Stepping Down: Thomas Tighe Leaving Santa Barbara-Based Direct Relief – KCLU
• Tighe to Step Down as Direct Relief’s CEO at Year’s End – Pacific Coast Business Times

The post As California Wildfires Blaze, Direct Relief Dispatches Medical Aid to Impacted Communities appeared first on Direct Relief.

These shipments contained 18 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including midwife kits, dengue support, hurricane preparedness packs, and more.

Emergency Medical Packs Bolster Guatemalan Fire Preparedness

The Guatemalan Forest Fire Response Brigade BRIF/GUA received a donation of emergency medical backpacks from Direct Relief recently. The backpacks will bolster preparedness for future wildfire events, helping first responders provide emergency medical care.

Unrest In Tila, Mexico Creates Urgent Need

Armed groups burned homes and vehicles and displaced thousands in Tila, a town in Chiapas, Mexico, on June 8, 2024, and more than half the town’s 10,000 residents were forced to leave their homes. The violence, which stems from a broader conflict over territorial control, created even more urgent needs in Tila, where 98% of the residents were already experiencing poverty.

While some displaced people have returned home, the situation remains unstable, with ongoing violence and insecurity.

Nonprofit organization ChildFund contacted Direct Relief for assistance with medical supplies, as shelters and communities lacked essential items. In response, Direct Relief provided over-the-counter medications, vitamins, hygiene products, and other necessities. Direct Relief remains committed to assisting its partners and the affected populations during this crisis.

Strengthening Resiliency After Hurricane Beryl

Direct Relief has mobilized over $2.2 million in emergency medical aid for Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica. This aid includes cots, emergency medical backpacks, essential medicines and supplies, hurricane preparedness packs, hygiene kits, and shelter supplies. Additionally, Direct Relief has allocated $500,000 from the Caribbean Resilience Fund to support relief and recovery efforts in Grenada and SVG.

In Texas, Direct Relief has bolstered support to healthcare providers serving communities impacted by Hurricane Beryl, delivering over $257,300 in medical aid to 14 community health centers, clinics, and charitable pharmacies. Direct Relief also continues to offer its medical inventory to health facility partners through its ongoing Safety Net Support program.

Direct Relief’s initiatives in the Caribbean and Texas aim to strengthen the medical supply chain’s resiliency and ensure continued access to essential medicines. In the coming days and weeks, Direct Relief is prioritizing additional support in four key areas: cold chain storage, dengue prevention and treatment, distribution of personal care kits, and emergency and backup power.

YOUTH VOLUNTEERS Gather AT DIRECT RELIEF

Volunteers assemble 7,000 person care kits at Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse on July 22, 2024. The kits will be sent to those impacted by Hurricane Beryl and the 2023 Maui wildfire.  The kits contain items, including shampoo, toothpaste, soap, and other essentials.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 13.7 million defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 748 shipments containing 1.4 million doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 14,300 shipments to 2,027 partner organizations in 54 US states and territories and 81 countries.

These shipments contained 259.8 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $871.0 million (wholesale) and totaled 3.4 million pounds.

In THE NEWS

• As Doctors Leave Puerto Rico In Droves, A Rapper Tries To Fill The Gaps – Associated Press
• Beyond the Backpack: Direct Relief and FedEx Revolutionize Disaster Relief – Yahoo Finance
• The Use of Technology on the Supply Chain: An Interview with Gordon Willcock – LogiPharma Asia

The post Emergency Support Reaches First Responders, Communities Impacted by Extreme Weather appeared first on Direct Relief.

These shipments contained 14.7 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, field medic packs, personal protective equipment (PPE), and more.

Direct Relief Responding to Hurricane beryl

Initial reports indicate that Hurricane Beryl resulted in at least 29 fatalities: 11 in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, two in Jamaica, and 16 across Texas, Louisiana, and Vermont, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), and media reports. The storm also inflicted severe damage to critical infrastructure, including homes, healthcare facilities, and water systems; disrupted communications, power, and other essential services; and had a devastating impact on livelihoods, as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Over the past week, Direct Relief has continued delivering shipments to storm-affected regions, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. These shipments included medicine and supplies to combat dengue fever, such as mosquito repellent, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen for adults and children, and thermometers, as well as other requested items.

Additionally, Direct Relief is sending a large-capacity power generator to Spring Branch Community Health Center in Cypress, Texas, to help maintain power at their clinic following storm-related outages. The donated generator will ensure reliable power during future emergencies and subsequent power outages.

Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation Visits Direct Relief

On July 16, 2024, representatives from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) visited Direct Relief’s headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. The purpose of the visit was to meet with Direct Relief’s leadership and sign a memorandum of intent focused on streamlining disaster response efforts in the region.

PDRF and Direct Relief actively collaborate on strengthening disaster resilience in the Philippines. Their joint efforts encompass a wide range of activities, including disaster prevention, mitigation, emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.

Ukraine Relief

This week, Direct Relief’s shipments of medical aid and personal care items arrived in Ukraine with the local organization Ukrainian Soul. These vital supplies were then distributed to communities across the country, including Nikopol, a city on the banks of the Dnipro River facing limited resources due to the ongoing war.

Additionally, Ukrainian Soul delivered urgently needed medications from Direct Relief to hospitals in Kremenchuk and Tomakivk, ensuring access to antibiotics, surgical supplies, and treatments for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other critical conditions.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 12.9 million defined daily doses of medication to countries outside the U.S. that include the following:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 465 shipments containing over 5 tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 13,600 shipments to 2,001 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 80 countries.

These shipments contained 244.9 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $858.9 million (wholesale) and totaling over 3.3 million pounds.

The post Humanitarian Aid Reaches 9 Countries, 48 US States — From Ukraine to the Caribbean to Texas appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 2.3 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including vitamins, rare disease therapies insulin, pain management medications, and more.

Wildfires burn across california and Hurricane aftermath

Over a dozen wildfires are currently active in California, the largest of which is the Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County, which has burned over 36,000 acres. The fires come amid a record-setting heat wave, leaving vulnerable populations, especially those who are unhoused or that suffer from respiratory illnesses, exposed to potential complications due to these multiple factors.

In addition to supporting local partners in the midst of the fires, Direct Relief set up multiple distribution points throughout Santa Barbara County to make over 1,000 3M-made N95 respirators available to the local community.

Direct Relief is in touch with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and local safety net clinics to assess needs. To address power outages, Direct Relief’s Power for Health program has equipped several health clinics with solar-powered resilient power systems.

Direct Relief’s response to Hurricane Beryl is ongoing across the Caribbean and Texas. The storm, which was the earliest Category 5 storm on record, and which made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, has left a path of destruction, especially on Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. About 1 million people in Texas are currently without power.

Direct Relief prepositioned Hurricane Prep Packs in Texas, which can serve one hundred people for 3 days. At least one of the packs was used by a clinic just north of Houston. Requested hygiene kits have also been sent to four Texas clinics.

In the Caribbean, Direct Relief has sent Hurricane Prep Packs, Emergency Packs, hygiene kits, and more requested aid, including medicines, medical tents, patient beds, and oral rehydration salts, to partners in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica. Direct Relief has allocated $250,000 from the Caribbean Resiliency Fund to further address recovery efforts.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 1.7 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 465 shipments containing 4.6 tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 12,900 shipments to 1,976 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 79 countries.

These shipments contained 230.3 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $834.7 million (wholesale) and totaling over 3 million pounds.

IN THE NEWS

• How to help: Hurricane Beryl – Fidelity Charitable
• Hurricane Beryl: How to contribute to relief efforts – Local 10
• Hurricane Beryl – Discover Highly-Rate Charities – Charity Navigator
• Direct Relief to distribute free N95 masks in Santa Ynez Valley as Lake Fire grows to more than 20,000 acres – KEYT
• Want to help those who have been hit by Hurricane Beryl? Here’s what you can do – Fort Worth S-T
• Nonprofits Also Corralling Donations After Hurricane Beryl – St. Thomas Source
• Hurricane Season Just Got Real – Surfline
• Here’s How to Help the Hurricane Victims in the Caribbean – The New York Times
• Hurricane Beryl Has Devastated the Caribbean. Here’s How You Can Help Relief Efforts – TIME
• Help Hurricane Beryl Relief Efforts by Donating to These Organizations – Travel and Leisure
• How to help Hurricane Beryl victims – CNN
• Direct Relief to distribute free N95 masks in Santa Ynez Valley as Lake Fire grows to more than 20,000 acres – KEYT
• Fire concerns bring Santa Ynez Valley residents out to get free masks and view maps – KEYT
• Lake Fire Informational Resources and N95 Masks Available at Tribal Hall on Santa Ynez Reservation – Santa Barbara Independent
• Lake fire information, N95 masks available to public at Chumash tribal hall – Santa Ynez Valley News

The post Direct Relief Responds to Wildfires, Hurricanes, Everyday Needs appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 5.1 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including vitamins, rare disease therapies insulin, pain management medications, and more.

Hurricane Beryl Response Continues

While Beryl has weakened, it still poses a serious threat to southern Texas and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, where it made landfall on Friday morning.

With winds reaching as high as 105 miles per hour, the storm threatens as much as 10 inches of rain and surging waters in parts of Mexico, and will likely reach as far as Texas’s Gulf Coast.

Hurricane warnings are in place in communities along the Yucatán Peninsula’s coastline. Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador has urged those in the storm’s path to seek shelter, reminding them that “the most important thing is life.”

Opposite from Beryl’s path in the Caribbean, Mexico’s Pacific coast is still recovering from last year’s Hurricane Otis, a rare Category 5 storm that devastated the Acapulco area. Standing water and warm temperatures have created breeding ground for mosquitoes, contributing to increased dengue fever cases.

As the region assesses needs, Direct Relief is working with the federal health secretariat’s emergency response team (COPAC) as well as the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) and is in close communication with both agencies to mobilize support if it is needed and requested.

Direct Relief has a stockpile of emergency medical backpacks and emergency health kits filled with emergency essentials commonly requested by first responders and has recently continued its support in the country after last year’s devastating Hurricane Otis in Acapulco.

Texas’s southern coast, now within the hurricane’s forecast cone, is also bracing for impact. Beryl will most likely make landfall there on Saturday. Direct Relief is in communication with healthcare organizations in the state on any needs that arise, and Direct Relief’s hurricane preparedness packs, a vital aspect of the organization’s hurricane resiliency and response work, are already stationed at strategic locations in the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Over the past week, Direct Relief has shipped medical aid to Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia in response to medical needs in communities directly impacted by the storm.

The organization will continue to monitor Beryl’s impact in order to assess health and emergency needs on the ground, and is prepared to respond as needed.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 3.7 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 310 shipments containing over three tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 12,400 shipments to 1,933 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries.

These shipments contained 228.4 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 3.2 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Here’s How to Help the Hurricane Victims in the Caribbean – The New York Times
• Hurricane Beryl Has Devastated the Caribbean. Here’s How You Can Help Relief Efforts – TIME
• Help Hurricane Beryl Relief Efforts by Donating to These Organizations – Travel and Leisure
• How to help Hurricane Beryl victims – CNN

The post Response Continues for Communities in Beryl’s Path appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 15 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including vitamins, surgical supplies, personal protective equipment, and more.

Oregon Wildfire Response

On Tuesday, the Darlene 3 wildfire prompted the evacuation of over 1,100 homes in La Pine, Oregon. Wind has driven the fire to expand to nearly 4,000 acres, and it was 30% contained as of Thursday morning, according to Central Oregon Fire Information. Direct Relief has extended its support to partner health facilities in the area, including La Pine Community Health Center and Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades, both located within 50 miles of the fire.

The organization will continue to respond to needs as requested.

Ukraine Relief

Last week, a local NGO, Ukrainian Soul, received multiple shipments of requested medications and medical supplies for distribution to healthcare providers and first responders on the ground in Ukraine. The donations included thermometers, thyroid medications, prenatal vitamins, and more.

Direct Relief has deployed more than 2,480 tons of medical aid, 341.6 million defined daily doses, $42 million in financial assistance, and $1.3 billion in material aid assistance to Ukraine since the war broke out.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 7.8 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

A recent grant recipient of Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative, Alliance Medical Center, located in Healdsburg, California, was recently featured by AP News. For the past month of June, the health center has been operating with a solar and battery storage system donated by Direct Relief. Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative seeks to bring clean, renewable backup power to community health centers and free clinics to ensure they can deliver critical healthcare services during power outages. Learn more about Direct Relief’s resilient power efforts here.

Direct Relief delivered 822 shipments containing over eight tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 11,900 shipments to 1,894 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 78 countries.

These shipments contained 221.9 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 3.1 million lbs.

The post Oregon Wildfire Response, Support for Ukraine Continues appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 2.8 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including vitamins, insulin, pain management medications, and more.

24/7 Maternity Services Continue in Haiti, Despite Ongoing Unrest

In recent weeks, Haiti, particularly the capital city of Port-au-Prince, has been engulfed in a deepening crisis marked by escalating violence and insecurity. The situation reached a critical point with the declaration of a state of emergency in early March after a mass prison break that occurred as gangs overran two of the country’s largest prisons, leading to the release of thousands of inmates and further exacerbating the already volatile situation.

In response to the ongoing unrest, Direct Relief provided $1 million in financial support to nine healthcare organizations providing essential health services across the country, including Maison de Naissance, a non-profit maternal health center.  The grant helped sustain 24/7 maternity services, providing support for personnel salaries, medical supplies, and fuel during what the Maison de Naissance staff described as the most difficult 3 months experienced since the clinic’s inception in 2004. 

Brazil Flood Response Continues

Heavy rain hit southern Brazil last weekend, exacerbating the already extreme flooding the region has undergone since April. Resulting health issues include respiratory illnesses and a bacterial disease called leptospirosis that has already killed more than a dozen people.

Direct Relief’s response efforts in the region continue. With support from PAHO (the Pan American Health Organization), the organization delivered 100 emergency medical backpacks to the Brazilian Ministry of Health (SAES – Secretariate of Specialized Healthcare) to equip their mobile medical teams providing health services in the flood zones. The organization is also coordinating with the MOH on other medical supplies that are in short supply.

Fires Burn in California, New Mexico

As of Friday morning, the Point Fire in Sonoma County, California, has burned over 1,200 acres, destroyed three structures, and damaged two others. Direct Relief received a request for an emergency shipment of supplies (containing 50 hygiene kits and 100 N-95 masks) from Alliance Medical Center on Tuesday, which arrived a day later. The fire is now 75 percent contained, and evacuation orders were lifted on Wednesday.

Direct Relief has also recently supported Alliance Medical Center with funding to install solar panels and a backup battery system. This microgrid has now been operational for a month and provides up to 15 hours of resilient, clean power. The Center is in an area called “the geyser” — extreme winds and fire threat cause frequent PSPS (Power Safety Public Shutoff) events and loss of power.

Earlier this week, Sue Labbe, CEO of Alliance, said that “the smoke, ash and air pollutants from the fire are definitely impacting our air quality but we remain open, and we are continuing to see patients. We do feel relieved knowing that if the grid power is cut off, we will be able to continue to serve our community thanks to the solar Power for Health microgrid.”

In New Mexico, the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire, which have grown over 23,000 acres with 0% containment thus far, have caused two known deaths, destroyed approximately 1,400 structures, and forced more than 8,000 people to evacuate. Compounding the problem, thunderstorms that began Wednesday afternoon led to flash flood warnings for areas that were newly burned. Roads have been closed, and communications systems across the affected area have been down, after public communications towers and essential power lines were destroyed by the blaze. 
 
Direct Relief has offered support to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, local community health centers, and tribal contacts in the area, and will continue to respond to needs as requested.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 300,000 defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 571 shipments containing over three tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 11,100 shipments to 1,835 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 75 countries.

These shipments contained 206.8 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 3 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Climate Change Hurts Mothers and Babies. Midwives Are on the Frontlines. – Angels in Medicine
• Biden’s Green Investments Aren’t Just Benefiting Cities – Progressive.org
• Community Health Centers’ New Crisis: The Need for Backup Power – Chronicle of Philanthropy
• Direct Relief Announces Appointment of Three Directors to Board – 3BL Media

The post Maternal Health Update from Haiti, Brazil Flood and California Responses Continue appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 22.4 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including trauma care supplies, vitamins, pain management medications, and more.

Puerto Rico Community Health

In collaboration with Puerto Rico NGO, La Fondita de Jesús, Direct Relief has participated in multiple community health fairs this past month. An event supported by local nonprofit organization, Techos Pa’ Mi Gente, received almost 400 attendees.

Participants received personal care kits and solar-powered lights in preparation for the current hurricane season. La Fondita de Jesús provided primary healthcare services, groceries, and counseling on substance abuse. Dr. PJ Vázquez visited bedridden patients in their houses.

Monitoring Florida Storms

Storms in south Florida have caused severe flooding, road closures, power outages, and flash flood warnings. Record rainfall has exceeded 18 inches in less than 24 hours in some areas. The governor of Florida has declared a state of emergency in five counties.

Direct Relief has offered emergency assistance to health centers and clinics in Broward, Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade, and Sarasota Counties and has been in touch with national and state primary care associations. The organization will continue to monitor the situation and respond as requested.

Power for Health

This week, Direct Relief staff visited multiple healthcare centers and clinics in Northern California that received donated solar panels and battery storage systems as part of Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative. As of this week, one of the recipients, Alliance Medical Center, has been operating using Direct Relief’s donated systems for a full month. The clinic, which serves 13,000 patients per year, previously lost power after the 2017 Tubbs Fire. These donated systems with ensure that critical health care can continue to be provided regardless of future wildfires and subsequent power outages.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 17.4 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 377 shipments containing almost eight tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 10,500 shipments to 1,783 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 74 countries.

These shipments contained 204 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 3 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Community health centers’ new crisis: The need for backup power – AP News
• Powering up: Santa Barbara based non-profit helping to prevent power blackouts at community clinics – KCLU

The post Responding to Florida Flooding, Strengthening Community Health in Puerto Rico, Resilient U.S. Power appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 7 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including cancer treatments, diabetes medications, trauma care essentials, and more.

Increasing Access to Cancer Treatment in Mongolia

A significant oncology drug donation by Direct Relief arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia this month, marking the organization’s first-ever direct donation to a healthcare provider partner in the country. Ulaanbaatar, the nation’s capital, is home to 1.7 million people.

This donation was facilitated alongside Direct Relief partner organization, the Onom Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing healthcare, research, and democracy building in Mongolia. The medication has been distributed to two medical complexes in Ulaanbaatar providing care to cancer patients, The First National Hospital, and the Maternal and Children’s Hospital.

Mongolia has the world’s highest rate of cancer mortality per capita, and more than one in five deaths in Mongolia is caused by cancer, mainly of liver and stomach, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The agency also reported that Mongolia has the highest incident rate of liver cancer in the world, with an age-standardized rate per 100,000 patients of 78.1, while 75% of all liver cancer cases occur in Asia. Additionally, according to the National Institutes of Health, almost three-quarters of cancers in Mongolia are diagnosed at a late stage, resulting in a low survival rate and a high fatality rate.

Field Medic Packs Depart for Brazil After Floods

This week, 100 field medic packs departed Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse requested by the Pan American Health Organization for healthcare providers responding to the devastating flood that impacted Brazil in May. These packs include supplies and equipment to meet a variety of prevalent disaster-related medical issues, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protection tools.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 4 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief recently donated two pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration systems to MLK Health Center and Pharmacy in Louisiana. The refrigerators will be used to increase the clinic’s insulin storage capabilities. One system will be used at the clinic’s emergency shelter in preparation for this year’s upcoming hurricane season.

Direct Relief delivered 477 shipments containing eight tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 10.1K shipments to 1,762 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 73 countries.

These shipments contained 181.8 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.9 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Direct Relief prepares 5 million N95 masks for fire season in Southern California – KEYT
• Qlik Connect 2024 – the crucial role of data and AI in retail and non-profit organizations – Diginomica

The post Cancer Treatment Arrives in Mongolia, Continued Brazil Flood Response appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 6.4 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including trauma care supplies, vitamins, pain management medications, and more.

Brazil Flood Response

As Brazil continues to recover from devastating flooding earlier this month, Direct Relief is shipping emergency medical supplies and providing funding for healthcare providers on the ground. The flooding has been categorized as an environmental catastrophe comparable to Hurricane Katrina, impacting all of the 497 municipalities in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state.

In coordination with the Brazil California Chamber of Commerce, Direct Relief has been working to identify local organizations providing relief in the affected areas. Direct Relief has issued an initial $50,000 grant to local NGO, S.O.S Irmãos do Litoral, to support their aid distribution efforts, and provided S.O.S Irmãos do Litoral with additional support, including nine pallets of nutritional products.

S.O.S Irmãos do Litoral has been actively responding since the flooding began on May 12, conducting water rescues with their fleet of boats, jet skis, and high-water vehicles. Operating a large warehouse in Rio Grande do Sul, S.O.S Irmãos do Litoral has delivered over 400 tons of aid to over 150 shelters and primary healthcare centers in flood-impacted areas.

Direct Relief will also be delivering 100 field medic packs requested by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). These packs include supplies and equipment to meet a variety of prevalent disaster-related medical issues, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protection tools.

Dengue Treatment Kits Packed for Puerto Rico

In response to recent dengue outbreaks in Puerto Rico, Direct Relief has prepared ten dengue treatment kits to aid first responders treating patients with dengue fever. There is no cure for the disease, but the kits include items to prevent transmission as well as help manage symptoms as the body fights off infection. The kits include mosquito-repellent wipes and spray, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen for adults and children, and thermometers.

Direct Relief is donating these kits to help limit the spread of dengue and to reduce fever, dehydration, and pain among people who have contracted it. Each kit is designed to prevent dengue for about 1,000 patients and treat mild cases for about 100 patients.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 5.7 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 297 shipments containing almost two tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 9,594 shipments to 1,722 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 72 countries.

These shipments contained 175.9 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.7 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Limited care: Not all reproductive health care services are accessible in Lompoc – Santa Maria Sun
• 3M Named Official Respiratory Protection Sponsor for Direct Relief, Pledges 5 Million N95 Respirators Ahead of Hurricane, Wildfire Season – Market Watch

The post Supporting Flood Relief in Brazil, Puerto Rico Dengue Response appeared first on Direct Relief.

Samdo Kunphen Clinic Breaks Ground

Direct Relief recently initiated the construction of a nurse’s room and kitchen for the Samdo Kunphen Clinic, located in rural Samdo, Nepal. The project aims to enhance the clinic’s infrastructure and facilities for both patients and staff. Direct Relief has assisted the Samdo Kunphen Clinic since a devastating earthquake affected Nepal in 2015.

The additions will be coupled with infrastructure upgrades, including improved sanitation facilities and additional rooms. This project supports Direct Relief’s mission to contribute to sustainable development and livelihood in earthquake-affected regions of Nepal.

Thermal Fogging Machines

To bolster Mexico’s healthcare system in response to a recent surge in dengue cases after Hurricane Otis, Direct Relief announced a donation of equipment and funding, including 1.5 metric tons of requested healthcare supplies.

This donation included 32 thermal fogging machines, which have already been put to use by the Vector Control Department in Acapulco.

Mental Health Summit at Direct Relief

This week, Direct Relief, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) hosted the Community Routes: Access to Mental Health Care Learning Summit.

Teva Pharmaceuticals has supported 11 clinics aimed at advancing health equity by increasing access to care for uninsured patients living with depression and anxiety in California, Florida, and New Jersey. The summit celebrated and acknowledged the impactful work of these clinics and their staff.

Attendees had the opportunity to collaborate and share insights on mental health awareness. Over two days of panel discussions and workshops, they explored effective strategies for treating their communities, including integrating mental health care into clinic services and providing mental health treatment outside clinic walls.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 4.1 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 375 shipments containing over eight tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 9,275 shipments to 1,692 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 72 countries.

These shipments contained 169.3 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.7 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

• Evelyn Salgado leads delivery of supplies donated by the NGO “Direct Relief” – Milenio
• With Wildfire Season Arriving, Microgrids Can Save Lives and Protect Health – Microgrid Knowledge
• Important cooperation with the Direct Relief Foundation to strengthen maternal and child care – The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay
• Medical center installs microgrid to safeguard clinic power supply – Public News Service

The post Boosting Rural Health in Nepal, Dengue Relief in Mexico, Mental Health in the U.S. appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 11.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, prenatal vitamins, cardiovascular medications, and more.

Families Receive Medication in Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq, is home to over 1 million refugees and internally displaced people, or IDPs, following a genocidal ISIS campaign of the Yazidi ethnic minority group from 2014 to 2017. Public support to the IDP camps has dwindled or even formally terminated, and those living in the camps are now being told to return home to areas that remain hostile and unsafe.

Over the past 18 months, the region has seen a near-total withdrawal of foreign assistance. The result has been the suspension or deterioration of public services, economic and political volatility, and impending camp closures, compounding a humanitarian crisis for some of the most acutely marginalized groups in the region.

Medication shortages are also a challenge in the region, and Direct Relief has continued to serve as a medical supply stopgap through its support of the regional public health authority, the Duhok Directorate of Health. or DOH. In total, Direct Relief has mobilized 27 tons of medical aid worth over $86 million, including emergency prep and response products, medications for pediatric patients, cancer medication, and insulin.

IOM Egypt Receives Field Medic Packs

Recently, the International Organization for Migration, Egypt, provided 100 field medic packs to the Egyptian Ambulance Organization. Originally donated by Direct Relief, each backpack contains supplies and equipment to meet a variety of prevalent emergency-related medical issues, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protection tools.

A branch of the Egyptian Ministry of Health, the Egyptian Ambulance Organization operates a fleet of over 2,000 ambulances in Egypt, with many stationed at border crossing points providing emergency medical transport to people fleeing the conflicts in Gaza and Sudan.

Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai Shares about Breast Cancer Work in Ghana

Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, Ghanaian breast cancer surgeon and president of Breast Care International, or BCI, visited Direct Relief headquarters along with her family this week. BCI, an NGO dedicated to breast cancer prevention and control in Ghana, is a long-time partner of Direct Relief, receiving $95.2 million in donated medical products since 2014.

Dr. Addai shared that, in Ghana, 60 to 70 percent of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are already in advanced stages of the disease, due to the stigma and lack of education and awareness about the disease. Since its founding in 2002, BCI has taken a multifaceted approach to fighting breast cancer: educating women, facilitating needed medications from donors like Direct Relief to a network of health centers, and empowering survivors to share their stories.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 3.8 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 491 shipments containing over eight tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 8,881 shipments to 1,634 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 71 countries.

These shipments contained 161.2 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.6 million lbs.

The post Medical Aid Arrives in Iraqi Kurdistan, Egypt, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 21 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, prenatal vitamins, oral rehydration tablets, and more.

Medications Shipped to Flooded Communities in Texas

Direct Relief has been responding to communities impacted by extreme weather over the past week, including in Texas, where heavy rainfall inundated communities in the eastern part of the state, displacing thousands and requiring water rescues for hundreds of people. Multiple counties received large amounts of rainfall, including Harris County, which contains Houston.

Direct Relief shipped requested medical aid this week to health organizations serving flooded communities, including San Jose Clinic, a nonprofit free clinic that serves uninsured or underinsured people in Houston. “During the flood, we had some patients unable to make it to appointments as they were unable to leave their home and the same for some of our team,” San Jose staff reported. Water purification tablets, antibiotics, personal protective gear, disinfecting products, and other medical essentials were shipped this week to the clinic.

TOMAGWA HealthCare Ministries, a free clinic located in Tomball, Texas, also requested support, and Direct Relief shipped personal care packs, filled with essentials like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and more to support people displaced from their homes due to the floodwaters.

Floods Inundate Brazil with More Rain Expected in Coming Days

In Brazil, devastating flooding has coursed through more than 85 percent of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, where more than 113 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. More rain is expected this weekend, and Direct Relief is coordinating with the Brazilian Health Regulatory Authority and the Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, to assess medical needs and requests.

Health impacts from flooding can span from water- and vectorborne illnesses to exacerbation of chronic conditions as people are displaced without access to medications needed to manage their health. Direct Relief maintains an inventory of medications commonly requested after disasters and is ready to respond.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 13.9 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 419 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 8,374 shipments to 1,607 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 69 countries.

These shipments contained 146.9 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.5 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

A Global Relief Organization Keeps the Spigot Open for Community Healthcare Providers Closer to Home – Inside Philanthropy

AWMH Donates $100,000 to Direct Relief’s Flood Relief Efforts in Brazil – Metallica.com

Direct Relief Commits $3 Million to Jamaica for Hurricane Resilience – Philanthropy News Digest

The post Direct Relief Responding to Flooding, Extreme Weather in U.S., Brazil appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 6.7 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, prenatal vitamins, oral rehydration tablets, and more.

After Flooding, Kenya Prepares for Cyclone

In Kenya, heavy rains and flash floods have left more than 200 people dead, dozens missing, and over 150,000 people displaced across Nairobi, Makueni, West Pokot and Machakos counties according to the National Disaster Operations Center. Heavy rains have inundated the country since March, and the country is bracing for landfall from Cyclone Hidaya, expected to make landfall Friday in Kenya and Tanzania, where flooding fatalities have also continued to rise into the hundreds.

Flooding and resulting displacement can cause a host of health problems, including limited access to clean drinking water, the proliferation of water- and vector-borne illnesses, power outages, and damaged infrastructure that can limit travel to receive medical care. Those who are displaced from their homes may also face compounding health issues, as they may be cut off from medications and equipment needed to manage chronic conditions, including diabetes, which can escalate into crisis and the need for emergency care.

Direct Relief has a long history of support to Kenya, and has provided more than $40 million in medical support to health facilities across the country. This includes general medical support, insulin for patients managing diabetes, and rare disease therapies. Kenyatta National Hospital is one hospital that has received this medical support from Direct Relief in the past, and the organization is in communication with the hospital about medical needs resulting from flooding and the cyclone’s impacts. Direct Relief is also in contact with the Kenyan Red Cross Society to support their emergency medical outreach and search and rescue teams. Direct Relief also has supported medical facilities in Tanzania with more than $74 million in medical aid, including during times of disaster, such as Cyclone Idai in 2019.

Direct Relief will continue to monitor the storm’s impacts on communities in Kenya and Tanzania and respond to requests for medical support as they become known.

Supporting Health Resilience in Jamaica Ahead of Hurricane Season

Direct Relief this week announced a US$3 million grant to Jamaica as part of its ongoing commitment to bolstering resilience in the Caribbean region. This contribution, which will support the installation of a large solar energy system at a central primary pharmaceutical distribution facility, comes as part of the organization’s renewal of its ongoing partnership with the island nation, aimed at strengthening healthcare systems and infrastructure in the face of natural disasters and other emergencies.

Direct Relief staff met with members of Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness to tour the National Health Fund Pharmaceutical Distribution Facility and visit local health centers. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed to continue the flow of medical aid and support to the nation’s health system.

Jamaica, like many other nations in the Caribbean, faces unique challenges in maintaining healthcare access, particularly in the wake of natural disasters such as hurricanes. Direct Relief’s grant seeks to address these challenges by supporting initiatives that enhance emergency preparedness, expand access to essential medical supplies and equipment, and fortify healthcare infrastructure.

Haleon Staff Support Building of Personal Care Packs

Over the past three months, Direct Relief has partnered with Haleon staff to pack 5,300 personal care kits, which include basic hygiene items like soap, shampoo, and dental care products, across nine locations. Local organizations who received these kits, including NeoMed Center, Inc. and Corporación La Fondita de Jesús, attended these events to share more about their work within the community with the Haleon team.

The kits have been distributed to local organizations working with migrant and refugee populations, people experiencing homelessness, or others in need of basic personal care items.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 5.8 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 552 shipments containing almost two tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 7,932 shipments to 1,591 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 69 countries.

These shipments contained 125.6 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.4 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

Kee Cha-E-Nar Corporation Receives $250k from Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity – The Yurok Tribe

Health Sector Receives US$3 Million from Direct Relief – Jamaica Information Service

Midwifery in the Era of Climate Change: Lessons from the wildfires in Maui – International Confederation of Midwives

Direct Relief Supporting Family Health in Ukraine – Angels in Medicine

Direct Relief Donates US$3 Million to Health Sector – Philanthropy News Digest

Direct Relief Donates $3 Million to Strengthen Jamaica’s Health System – Caribbean National Weekly

Expanding Hope: A New Dawn in Dnipro – Levitate

The post Preparing for Cyclone Hidaya in Kenya as Medical Aid Departs for 13 Countries This Week appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 13.4 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, prenatal vitamins, oral rehydration tablets, and more.

Strengthening Cold Chain Capacity for Free Clinics

Recently, several pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration systems donated by Sanofi were delivered by Direct Relief to multiple clinics across the U.S., including Ozanam Charitable Pharmacy in Alabama and Welvista in South Carolina.

These fridges have expanded capacity at these sites, allowing for more storage of temperature-sensitive medications, like vaccines and insulin. The systems were donated and placed as part of Direct Relief’s ReplenishRx program, which works to provide free and charitable clinics with medications and supplies at no cost.

Supporting Care for Women in Malawi

This week, Dr. Anne Alaniz, a gynecological oncologist and founder of Pothawira International, spoke about her work in Malawi and her plans to build a new surgical center that will expand care for women in the region.

Direct Relief has supported Pothawira International with more than $5 million in oncology medications, midwife kits, which contain 50 essential items to facilitate safe births, and other requested medical aid. Pothawira, which translates to “Safe Haven,” includes an outpatient clinic, which sees 200 patients a day and a birthing center, which is expected to exceed 500 deliveries in 2024.

A new surgical center, which will include four operating rooms, will enable safe cesarean deliveries, laparoscopic surgeries, radiology services, and more for women who need cancer treatments or are experiencing birth complications. Pothawira also operates an orphanage, primary school, and sustainability farm to support community needs.

Dr. Alaniz, originally from Malawi and who moved to the U.S. at 16, now practices medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital between her medical missions in Malawi. She spoke to a gathering of about 120 people in Montecito, California, this week to raise awareness about Pothawira International and Direct Relief’s Maternal and Child Health Programs in advance of Mother’s Day.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Alaniz and Pothawira International.

Direct Relief Hosts Health Fair in Puerto Rico

Direct Relief and La Fondita de Jesús, a nonprofit focused on services to unhoused people and other vulnerable populations, hosted a health fair on April 23 in Rio Piedra, Puerto Rico. The fair offered health services, personal care kits filled with hygiene items for attendees, and more.

Direct Relief Chief Pharmacy Officer Honored

Direct Relief’s Chief Pharmacy Officer Alycia Clark, PharmD, has been selected among the “Top 50 Women in Business” by the Pacific Coast Business Times.

The Business Times honors 50 of the region’s top women leaders in a number of sectors, including finance, professional services, health care, technology, and nonprofits. Clark was selected for her outstanding contributions to public health and emergency response.

Read the full selection article here.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 13 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Included in this week’s shipments were deliveries of oral rehydration salts in response to the outbreak of dengue fever in Puerto Rico. The organization is monitoring the outbreak and will continue to respond as requested.

Direct Relief delivered 510 shipments containing over four tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 7,666 shipments to 1,573 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 67 countries.

These shipments contained 121.6 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.4 million lbs.

The post Supporting Street Medicine in Puerto Rico, Women’s Health in Malawi, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 3.3 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including cancer therapies, rare disease treatments, prenatal vitamins, field medic packs for triage care, and more.

Dr. Edna Adan Ismail Visits Direct Relief HQ

Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, former first lady of Somalia, 2023 Templeton Prize winner, and esteemed nurse-midwife, visited Direct Relief this week to meet with staff and speak to an audience about her work to improve the health and lives of women at Edna Adan University Hospital, in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

Adan was trained as a nurse and midwife in the United Kingdom and has worked for decades in Somaliland as an activist and health provider to end female circumcision and increase maternal access to health care.

Located in Adan’s hometown of Hargeisa, the Edna Adan University and Hospital has significantly reduced maternal mortality for women in the region, and the nonprofit charity hospital and training facility provides health services and education to the next generation of midwives. Since 2008, Direct Relief has supported the hospital with $6 million worth of medical aid, including equipment specifically to outfit trained midwives. Direct Relief’s Midwife Kits contain essential items needed to facilitate safe delivery.

Ismail toured Direct Relief’s 150,000 sq. ft. warehouse, met with staff about maternal health efforts in the region, and then spoke to the public about her vision of creating a sanctuary of care and learning.

Read More

COVID-19

The “Cruel Beast” of Covid-19: A Q&A with Edna Adan

The women’s health advocate and former Somaliland foreign minister weighs in on maternal care during Covid-19, the disease’s unknowns, and humanitarian responsibility.

MATERNAL HEALTH

What a Difference a Person Can Make: A Conversation with Edna Adan

Edna Adan has made helping mothers and babies the mission of her life, and does so in her homeland of Somaliland, where the need is great. 

MATERNAL HEALTH

Celebrating Midwives Around the World

Midwives are the first line of assistance, providing high-quality care during routine deliveries and managing basic complications. But midwives can only do their work if they have the right tools.

U.S. Wildfire Season Preparation

With the start of the U.S. wildfire season on the horizon, Direct Relief working to support healthcare providers located in historically impacted regions ahead of time. The organization recently shipped field medic packs to partners in Northern California, including Worldwide Healing Hands and Sacramento Medical Reserve Corps.

Designed with input from emergency physicians and public health officials, each pack contains supplies and equipment to meet a variety of prevalent disaster-related medical issues, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protection tools.

Direct Relief supports safety net providers and others responding to wildfires by providing medical aid, as well as emergency funding, funding and infrastructure for resilient power, and provides analysis for governments and first responders to help make informed decisions.

Learn more about Direct Relief’s wildfire response here.

Direct Relief Documentary Admitted to Global Film Festival

Direct Relief’s documentary, co-produced with BBC StoryWorks, ‘The Invisible Impact of Wildfires,’ was selected for admission to the Fifth ‘Health for All’ Film Festival hosted by the World Health Organization.

‘Invisible Impacts of Wildfires’ is part of a series called “The Climate and Us” by BBC StoryWorks and the Global Climate and Health Alliance. The series goes around the world exploring how the climate crisis is a health crisis while highlighting innovative healthcare solutions being used to help respond.

Watch the documentary here.

operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Included in this week’s global shipments was a delivery of seven pallets of requested medical supplies and medications that departed Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara warehouse this week bound for Honduras. The shipment will be distributed to Fundación Ruth Paz, Clínica Esperanza, and Hospital Loma de Luz. (Video by Maeve Ozimec/Direct Relief)

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 1.8 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 527 shipments containing almost four tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 7,140 shipments to 1,523 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 62 countries.

These shipments contained 108.5 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.3 million lbs.

In the News

Viatris Announces Product Donations To Direct Relief of More Than 7 Million Doses of Medicine To Support Access to Medicine and Healthcare – Morning Star

Plan A Health Hits the Road for Patients in Mississippi Delta – Angels in Medicine

Pacific Pride Foundation Hosts 11th Annual PROUD Prom in Collaboration with ILRC – The Santa Barbara Independent

The post Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, Globally Renowned Nurse-Midwife, Visits Direct Relief appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 10 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including cancer therapies, rare disease treatments, prenatal vitamins, field medic packs for triage care, and more.

Babies in Dominica NICU Receive Respiratory Support

Recently, a neonatal ventilation unit donated by Direct Relief was installed at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital, Dominica’s largest medical facility. The unit will increase the capacity of the hospital to provide high-frequency ventilation for newborns.

Direct Relief’s commitment to emergency response and improving overall health care in the Caribbean region has continued in response to hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, and other disasters. This commitment was highlighted last summer during the Caribbean Emergency Preparedness Summit in Puerto Rico, where Direct Relief brought 15 Caribbean nations together in an effort to listen and learn about the impacts that increased risk of natural disasters has on their respective country’s healthcare infrastructure.

operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 8.8 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

One of this week’s recipients was Care Beyond the Boulevard, a Kansas City-based organization dedicated to providing medical care to those living without permanent housing.

The group received wound care products, cardiovascular medications, and other requested medical supplies.

Direct Relief delivered 427 shipments containing over six tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 6,581 shipments to 1,474 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 61 countries.

These shipments contained 105.2 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2.1 million lbs.

In the News

$10M in Microgrid Grants Deliver Resilience to Native American Communities – The Energy Mix

Migliaia di vaccini Covid-19 raggiungono i pazienti in Messico – Eseuro.com

Pfizer México y Direct Relief se unen para distribuir más de 14 mil vacunas contra el COVID-19 en el Estado de México – Dimension Turistica Magazine

Exitosa jornada de vacunación Covid-19 de Cruz Roja Mexicana en Lerma – Asisucede

Pfizer aplicará vacunas gratis contra la Covid-19 en México – Saludiario

CRM comienza a aplicar vacuna Pfizer en Lerma – 8 Columnas

Revista FactorRH – Reparten vacunas covid gratuitas en Edomex – Rhpositivo

Recibe Cruz Roja Mexicana 12 mil vacunas contra Covid-19 de Pfizer y Direct Relief –Reporteros en Movimiento

Cruz Roja Mexicana Recibe Donación de 12 Mil Vacunas Pfizer para Comunidades Vulnerables en el Estado de México – ContraRéplica

The post 14 Countries Receive Medical Aid Over Past Seven Days 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.

The shipments contained 5.6 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including surgical supplies, trauma response essentials, nutritional products, and more.

Shipments Arrive at Aberdeen Women’s Center

Recently, Aberdeen Women’s Center in Sierra Leone received Direct Relief’s Obstetric Fistula Repair Modules to support maternal health in the region. Each module contains surgical items, tools, and medications to equip surgeons for approximately 50 obstetric fistula repair surgeries. Obstetric fistula is a birth injury that can cause social stigma and serious health impacts if unaddressed.

The comprehensive module was created in close consultation with leading surgical experts and is endorsed by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). Learn more about Direct Relief’s Fistula Repair program here.

Since 2010, Aberdeen Women’s Centre has received over 16 tons of requested medical supplies totaling over $1.2 million from Direct Relief.

Children Receive Care in Ukraine

Ukrainian NGO Charity Fund Modern Village and Town, with the support of Direct Relief, recently provided medical consultations to children in need of care in Kirovohrad, Ukraine. Specialists examined and provided consultations for 250 children from newborn to 18 years of age, free of charge.

Additionally, Ukrainian Soul, an organization supported by Direct Relief in Odesa, Ukraine, received multiple shipments from Direct Relief. The deliveries included prescription flu treatments, Hepatitis B treatment, and a variety of oncology medications. The medications will be distributed to a network of medical facilities in the coming days.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 4.6 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 5,739 shipments to 1,367 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 58 countries.

These shipments contained 90.4 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 2 million lbs.

In the News

With Frequent Outages in Tribal Communities Creating Health Risks, Direct Relief Provides $10 Million for Microgrids – Microgrid Knowledge

For Health Workers on Haiti’s Frontlines, Direct Relief Distributes $1 Million in Support – ReliefWeb

How to Do Foreign Aid Without Stepping on Federal Toes – Federal News Network

Renowned Midwife Speaks for International Women’s Day – Angels in Medicine

The post Supporting Maternal Care in Sierra Leone, Family Health in Ukraine appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 8.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including antibiotics, personal protection equipment, personal care kits and more.

Supporting Migrants from Haiti in Mexico

This week, in collaboration with Hospitalidad y Solidaridad and the International Organization for Migration, over 500 Direct Relief personal care kits were distributed to migrants in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. This initiative aims to provide vital support amid the tumultuous circumstances faced by thousands awaiting asylum processing in Tapachula.

Why It Matters:

The crisis unfolding in Tapachula underscores the urgent need for humanitarian assistance and the importance of solidarity and support for vulnerable populations. As the primary destination for many migrants fleeing violence and instability in neighboring countries, Mexico faces the challenge of providing aid and protection to those seeking refuge within its borders.

Direct Relief’s Response:

This event provides essential personal care kits, filled with hygiene items including toothpaste and shampoo, to alleviate the immediate needs of migrants, particularly from Haiti, residing in Tapachula. These kits will not only contribute to improved health and sanitation but also offer support to individuals navigating challenging circumstances.

Key Insights:

• The situation in Tapachula is indicative of broader migration trends, with Haiti surpassing Honduras as the leading source of asylum seekers in Mexico.
• Discrimination and systemic challenges persist in the asylum process, particularly for Haitian migrants who often face barriers to recognition and support.
• The testimonies of migrants highlight the dire conditions and systemic injustices driving their journeys, emphasizing the need for comprehensive solutions and international cooperation.

Strengthening Health Services in Culebra

As part of Direct Relief’s efforts to breach healthcare access gaps for vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico, Direct Relief staff, alongside medical staff from HealthProMed and La Fondita de Jesús, conducted a community health fair in the island municipality of Culebra on Friday, March 15. The team distributed personal care kits filled with hygiene items, solar-powered lights, and groceries to 100 people.

Historically, residents in Culebra have been isolated both physically and in terms of resources, including food, health services and transportation, among others. Located east of the main island, Culebra commonly experiences the impacts of hurricanes prior to their landfall in mainland Puerto Rico.

Health staff from La Fondita de Jesús evaluated more than 26 patients from their Direct Relief-donated mobile unit. The team also offered training on stress and anxiety management, proper use of medication, counseling on substance abuse and community development to more than 100 participants.

HealthProMed, a federally qualified health center in the area, offered blood pressure, glucose and HIV tests, health education and nutrition training to 96 registered patients. This community health fair further stressed the need to mobilize healthcare services to vulnerable and isolated communities. Many of the patients that were seen rely on maritime transportation to the main island to receive basic medical services.

At the island’s local public school, located adjacent to the health fair’s location, HealthProMed simultaneously held nutritional talks for over 60 students from elementary and middle school to promote increased physical activity, highlighting the importance of sports. Additionally, they hosted a basketball exhibition game for the students. Fundación Atención Atención also provided their Play-Time hour to foster emotion management and resilience through play for 35 children.

Bungie Bounty for Good

The Bungie Foundation, which has supported Direct Relief with several fundraising campaigns in the past, ran a four-hour live broadcast on Friday, May 22. The event showcased Bungie’s feature game, Destiny 2, and raised awareness of Direct Relief’s work. The Bungie Foundation has partnered with Direct Relief since 2015, beginning after the devastating earthquake in Nepal when the Bungie community rallied together to raise more than $1 million for the response efforts. Learn more about streaming and Direct Relief here.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 6.7 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Thirty pallets of requested medical supplies and medications departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara, California, on March 19, 2024, bound for Ukraine. The shipment will be received by Ukrainian Soul and distributed to local healthcare facilities.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 497 shipments containing over four tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 5,383 shipments to 1,324 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 57 countries.

These shipments contained 85.2 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 1.5 million lbs.

In the News

Critical hospital supplies and insulin for children with diabetes are among requested shipments making their way through treacherous shipping routes – Angels in Medicine

AmeriCorps hosting homeless outreach in Isla Vista – KEYT

The post Supporting Haitian Migrants in Mexico, Health Services in Puerto Rico, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 9.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, surgical supplies, insulin and more.

This week, more than four tons of medicines, including antibiotics, antifungal medications, and painkillers, donated by Direct Relief, were received by the NGO Kurdistan Save the Children. The medications were distributed to local healthcare facilities, including hospitals, cancer treatment centers, and maternity centers, in collaboration with the Directorate of Medicines and Medical Supplies in the Kurdistan Region.

Personal Care Items Distributed in Isla Vista

On Friday, staff from AmeriCorps hosted a community coffee hour for unhoused community members in the Community Center in Isla Vista, California. Personal care kits, containing toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorant and other hygiene items, donated by Direct Relief, were distributed to attendees, as well as groceries and coffee.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 7.9 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Thirty-one pallets of requested medical supplies and medications departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara, California, on March 15, 2024, bound for Ukraine.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 472 shipments containing nearly seven tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 4,864 shipments to 1,280 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 54 countries.

These shipments contained 77 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 1.4 million lbs.

In the News

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Charities’ Response Amid Haiti’s Violent Unrest – Charity Watch

IOM and Direct Relief team up for crisis-afflicted migrants – InfoMigrants

Direct Relief awards $7 million in health equity grants – Philanthropy News Digest

Combat to Conquest: Vasil’s Path to Success – Let’s Levitate

The post Aid Distributed to Ukraine, Kurdistan, and More Over the Past Seven Days appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 2.9 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including personal hygiene essentials, respiratory medications, vitamins and more.

Renowned Midwife Speaks for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day drew a crowd of over 100 people to hear firsthand about the essential work of midwives from a midwife who responded to the 2022 floods in Pakistan to serve women who had little to no access to care.

Neha Mankani spoke at Direct Relief headquarters on Friday, shortly after a short documentary called “Neha,” which chronicles her efforts to bring midwifery care to communities impacted by the catastrophic floods in Pakistan’s Sindh Province, was shown to those gathered. A volunteer event was also held to pack personal care items for women worldwide.

In November 2023, Mankani was named among the “2023 BBC 100 Women,” highlighting inspiring and influential women from across the globe. Mankani was a Fulbright Scholar and earned a master’s in public health from Columbia University, a midwife and founder of Mama Baby Fund and works with the International Confederation of Midwives to shape policy and advocate for midwives globally.

Direct Relief often supports the work of midwives during emergencies because they are usually first responders to those most vulnerable, including pregnant women and infants. Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe introduced Mankani and said the organization works to connect resources to midwives in the wake of disasters for just that reason. “When we see an earthquake, or a typhoon… we’re thinking of midwives because they always show up,” Tighe said.

The documentary shows Mankani working to access clinics where demand for health services far outpaced capacity after the 2022 floods and showed the devastating impacts of climate on health. Afterward, Mankani was interviewed by Paulina Ospina, Direct Relief’s Maternal and Child Health Associate Director, and the two spoke about the significant intersections of climate change and the impacts on pregnant people and young children. For example, the impacts of heat can have direct implications for the prevalence of hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and even pre-term birth, Mankani said.

Environmental factors have direct impacts on women and children, including lack of access to quality food due to crop devastation from flooding and lost livelihoods for agricultural workers. Malaria and other vector-borne diseases are also related, as well as access to clean water and timely health care. Gender inequity and gender-based violence also add layers to women accessing care and resources.

“All of these disasters are set against an already weak health system,” she said. “It makes a poor situation worse.”

The documentary showed a scene of Mankani holding a listening session with midwives in Pakistan, asking them what they need to feel empowered in their communities to do their work safely and effectively. Because many policies around health care and midwifery are made at the Ministry of Health and country level, direct feedback from midwives is often left out of the conversation. But that’s changing, Mankani said, a fact that she finds extremely hopeful.

“There’s a sense of ‘nothing about us, without us’,” she said. “There’s a recognition that a lot of the change needs to come from the ground.”

Texas Wildfires

Historic wildfires have impacted Texas, with the largest being the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which burned over one million acres with 74% containment as of Friday, March 8, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

In response, a shipment of requested personal care items, medications, and supplies departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara, California, and this week, it was bound for Amarillo, Texas.

Regence Health Network, a federally qualified health center, will use donations to treat patients with respiratory issues related to smoke inhalation and allergies.

NACHC President Visits Direct Relief

Last week, National Association of Community Health Centers President and CEO Dr. Kyu Rhee visited Direct Relief headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. Dr. Rhee met with Direct Relief leadership and staff to discuss the organizations’ partnership and combined impacts on patients in the U.S.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 1.7 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 404 shipments containing nearly 13 tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 4,381 shipments to 1,248 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 52 countries.

These shipments contained 67.8 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 1.3 million lbs.

In the News

Direct Relief celebrates International Women’s Day – KEYT

Teva’s ESG Lead on Why Company Committed to Community-Led Mental Health Push – PR Week

The post Responding to Texas Wildfires, Celebrating International Women’s Day, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 7.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including personal care products, breast pumps, surgical materials, vitamins, and more.

Medical Aid Arrives in Sudan

Direct Relief continues to respond in Sudan as the civil war has impacted healthcare facilities and infrastructure, leading to protracted shortages of medicines and medical supplies.

Recently, a Direct Relief-supported organization, MedGlobal, distributed shipments of donated supplies, including oral rehydration salts, to local healthcare providers.

Since the civil war started in April 2023, Direct Relief has sent more than 37 tons of requested medicines and medical supplies, including prenatal vitamins, surgical materials, insulin, and personal care items, amounting to $8.7 million in wholesale value.

Direct Relief has been coordinating with the Federal Ministry of Health, World Food Programme, Sudanese Children’s Diabetes Association, International Society of Better Health Access, International Organization for Migration, International Society of Nephrology, and MedGlobal.

Direct Relief will continue to respond as needed.

Equipping Volunteer Firefighters in Mexico

Two weeks ago, Direct Relief delivered 10 field medic packs to local emergency response agencies in Oaxaca, Mexico, including the Comision Nacional de Emergencia, A.C., local firefighters and Protección Civil personnel.

This week, the packs were used by local forestry brigades for the treatment of injuries as the crews fought forest fires in Oaxaca. There are currently six active fires in the state at various levels of containment. Five volunteers have died in the efforts to contain the fires.

Mexico is currently experiencing a severe drought that is affecting its southern states. While states in northern Mexico are receiving significant rainfall due to the El Niño climate pattern, states in southern Mexico are seeing far lower levels of rain and higher frequency of fires in the mountainous regions of the country.

Direct Relief Signs Agreement with IOM

Direct Relief staff met with representatives of the International Office of Migration in Washington, D.C., this week to sign a memorandum of understanding to streamline and expand aid delivery globally to migrant communities.

Beyond immediate relief efforts, the partnership will strengthen emergency preparedness and response activities, including the stockpile and pre-position medical supplies in collaboration with IOM host countries.

“Our partnership with Direct Relief opens doors to resources that are vital for delivering urgent medicines and supplies to those in need, particularly in moments of crisis,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM’s Deputy Director General for Operations. Central to this landmark partnership is the provision of medicines, medical equipment, and healthcare supplies. This critical assistance will strengthen IOM’s capacity to respond swiftly to the acute health needs of migrants and mobile populations during humanitarian and public health emergencies.

“Direct Relief is so pleased to join in partnership with IOM to help address the tremendous humanitarian health needs that exist among the world’s migrants and the communities that host them,” said Thomas Tighe, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Relief. “Private, philanthropic resources have always been an important part of the humanitarian assistance efforts for migrants, and we look forward to extending a broader invitation to participate — in a productive, efficient manner through coordination with IOM, which will optimize all available resources and best serve people in need.”

To read the full announcement, click here.

Monitoring Texas Wildfires

Five active fires are currently impacting the Texas Panhandle, north of Amarillo. As of February 29, the Smokehouse Creek Fire has burned a total of 1,078,807 acres (3% contained), making it the largest fire in the state’s history and second largest in U.S. history. The fire is threatening to converge with the Windy Deuce Fire to the southwest, putting the town of Borger, which currently sits in between the two fires, at extremely high risk.

Direct Relief’s Research and Analysis team is monitoring and mapping the real-time mobility of those displaced by the fire, social vulnerabilities, and power outage impacts. Click the image to view the updated map here:

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 5.9 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 527 shipments containing over 3 tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 3,963 shipments to 1,206 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 51 countries.

These shipments contained 64.9 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 1.2 million lbs.

In the News

Better Health Support for People in Crisis Situations Under Direct Relief Agreement – IOM

A Maui Community Health Center Receives a Down Payment to Rebuild and Recover after Devastating Wildfire – National Association of Community Health Centers

‘Fortnite’ Raises $144 Million for Ukraine Aid Over Two-Week Span – Aol.com

The Annual Guardian Games Cup Returns – Bungie

BU Theatre Department Puts on ‘Three Sisters’ Play – Binghamton University Pipe Dream

Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity Awards $7 Million to 38 Organizations Across the U.S. – 3BL

Medical Aid To Ukraine Dwindling With News Fatigue: US Healthcare And Medical Providers – We Must Do More – Med City News

The post Medicines and Supplies Arrive in Sudan as Civil War Continues appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 10 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including wound care products, cardiovascular drugs, diabetes management supplies, vitamins, and more.

Solar Installation Complete at Nepali Hospital

In 2015, a devastating earthquake struck Nepal, killing over 8,000 people and leaving thousands more injured and in dire need of help. Post-earthquake, the country’s medical infrastructure was not left unscathed. A report issued by Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population noted that 375 of the 446 public health facilities and 16 private facilities in Nepal’s hardest-hit regions were destroyed.

To help respond to urgent health needs, Direct Relief quickly coordinated with corporate partners as well as established local and emergency response partners to send pallets full of requested medicines and medical supplies to healthcare facilities. In the decade since the earthquake, Direct Relief has supported the health system, including by providing funds to Nepali NGO Mountain Heart Nepal for the construction of Siddhasthali Rural Community Hospital, a 15-bed facility in southern Nepal. The project has been steadily making progress over the last three years, and now the hospital is set to open on April 1, 2024.

Direct Relief has also equipped the new facility with a medical oxygen plant and cold-storage capacity, as well as a recently-installed backup solar system. The solar energy system is producing electricity with surplus energy going back to the electrical grid. This surplus energy is credited back to the hospital by the Nepal Electrical Authority, thus generating extra income for the hospital.

California Storm Preparations Underway

California is bracing for another set of storm systems to move through the state over the next week, which could bring flooding and landslides in its wake. Two atmospheric rivers will bring more than five inches of rain to various parts of the state, with the heaviest impacts expected in Northern California and along the Central Coast.

In advance of the storms, Direct Relief has been in communication about potential needs with state and regional primary care associations, search and rescue organizations across the state, the Medical Reserve Corps, and other first responder groups. The organization maintains a medical inventory of medications and supplies commonly requested during emergencies, including flooding.

The latest storm system is one in a series of atmospheric rivers to inundate the state, and Direct Relief has been responding to ongoing requested for groups experiencing impacts from flooding. In February, Direct Relief dispatched multiple immediate shipments of requested aid to partner organizations across the state. An emergency health kit, a large cache of essential medicines and supplies often requested after disasters, was shipped to Los Angeles to support a damaged health facility that had lost supplies due to flooding.

Also dispatched were field medic packs, filled with items for triage care outside of clinic walls, and personal care kits, packed with hygiene items like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, that departed Direct Relief’s warehouse for distribution to organizations and health facilities across the state. California Emergency Medical Services Agency (Cal EMSA) also received 40 requested field medic packs for teams deployed throughout the state in response to the storms.

The organization will continue to respond to the latest storm system as needs become known.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 6.5 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 588 shipments containing over 14 tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 3,140 shipments to 1,089 partner organizations in 52 U.S. states and territories and 47 countries.

These shipments contained 52.4 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 547,723 lbs.

In the News

Humble Bundle Surpasses $250 Million Raised for Charitable Causes Around the Globe – TechPowerUp

Direct Relief Navigates Medical Aid to Yemen and Sudan Through Red Sea Shipping Attacks and Sudan’s Civil War – ReliefWeb

Turkey and Syria Earthquakes: One Year Later – ReliefWeb

Jaguar Health Donates Supply of Mytesi to Humanitarian Aid Organization Direct Relief – Yahoo! Finance

The post Solar Backup Power in Nepal; Storm Preparations in California appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 12.9 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, wound care supplies, surgical essentials and more.

Responding to California Storms

California experienced two back-to-back atmospheric rivers, with the second causing widespread damage from flooding and high winds. An estimated 520 mudslides have occurred in Los Angeles alone, resulting in nine deaths. Authorities are warning of the prolonged danger of landslides as the weather has eased, but has left the ground unstable.

In response, Direct Relief dispatched multiple immediate shipments of requested aid to partner organizations across the state. Field medic packs, filled with items for triage care outside of clinic walls, and personal care kits, packed with hygiene items like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, departed Direct Relief’s warehouse this week in Santa Barbara, California, for distribution to organizations, including R.OA.D.S. Community Care Clinic, Universal Community Health Center, and the Children’s Clinic.

Earlier this week, direct Relief delivered additional shipments of requested supplies to healthcare centers in San Diego, including YMCA San Diego and Imperial Beach Community Clinic. California Emergency Medical Services Agency (Cal EMSA) also received 40 requested field medic packs for teams deployed throughout the state in response to the storms.

The organization will continue to respond as needs become known.

Monitoring Chile Wildfires

Since February 1, multiple fires have impacted central and southern Chile. An intense heatwave and dry conditions led to the burning of 14,000 homes and more than 64,200 acres of land in Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Direct Relief is in direct communication with PAHO and Fundacion FEDES on emerging needs related to this event. This week, PAHO will ship ten Direct Relief field medic packs and additional emergency supplies to Chile.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 11.4 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 272 shipments containing over six tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 2,421 shipments to 988 partner organizations in 51 U.S. states and territories and 41 countries.

These shipments contained 40 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 462,143 lbs.

In the News

How to help California victims of atmospheric river floods – FOX Weather

Direct Relief and Red Cross help storm victims up and down the coast – KEYT

Volunteers help with sand bags in Montecito – KEYT

The post Responding to California Storms, Flooding appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 4.4 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including cardiovascular medications, wound care supplies, vitamins and more.

Direct Relief Prepped for California Storms

California has been experiencing storms and floods from back-to-back atmospheric rivers, with the next storm expected to arrive late Saturday and continue into Sunday. The storm is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall, potential flash floods, and power outages. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has activated its Business and Utilities Operations Center, of which Direct Relief is a member, and the State Operations Center, to coordinate responses needed across the state.

Direct Relief has offered assistance to CalOES, primary care associations, and safety-net healthcare providers. In addition to Direct Relief’s inventory of medicines, medical supplies, and hygiene items, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, generators, and a pre-packed emergency health kit, containing 200 medicines and supplies for acute and chronic health conditions, are ready for deployment if requested.

Syrian American Medical Society Visits Direct Relief

On Friday, staff from the Syrian American Medical Society, or SAMS, visited Direct Relief’s headquarters in Santa Barbara, California, to discuss further ways to collaborate and share supply chain learnings.

The Syrian American Medical Society, founded in 1998, operates as a professional society in the United States, providing networking, educational, and professional services to medical professionals of Syrian descent. Its charitable arm, SAMS Foundation, established in 2007, focuses on delivering life-saving medical services, revitalizing health systems during crises, and promoting medical education in Syria and neighboring countries. Since 2014, Direct Relief has partnered with this NGO to help meet health needs in the region.

Next week marks the one-year milestone since the 8.3-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks struck Turkey and northwest Syria. Since that time, Direct Relief has provided $46.2 million in medicines and medical supplies to SAMS, which then supplied hospitals in Syria treating thousands of people with crush wounds and other injuries and medical complications caused by the quakes.

Medical Support Reaches Yemen

Yemen has endured more than eight years of protracted political and military conflict, high population growth, chronic food insecurity, and an uncertain political transition. In 2023, 21.6 million people required some form of humanitarian assistance as 80 percent of the country was unable to meet nutrition needs and access basic services.

For the last seven years, Direct Relief has partnered with Yemen Aid, a U.S.-based nonprofit founded by Yemeni-Americans that deliver humanitarian assistance and build a self-reliant Yemen with dignity and opportunity accessible to all.  Late last year, two shipments were successfully delivered to Yemen Aid and subsequently distributed in direct coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and Population to public health facilities across the country with pre-identified needs.

Together, these donations totaled 17 tons, equaling 4,130,638 defined daily doses of medication, including a broad range of cardiovascular drugs, anti-hypertensives, antibiotics, hormonal therapies, and mental health treatments in addition to vitamins, wound dressings, and diagnostic equipment.

Operational Snapshot

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 2.7 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 510 shipments containing over six tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 2,114 shipments to 897 partner organizations in 51 U.S. states and territories and 35 countries.

These shipments contained 27 million defined daily doses of medication totaling 366,282 lbs.

In the News

Understanding the Ongoing Opioid Epidemic – The Kansas City Star

Ahead of Fire Season, Tips on How to Protect Home and Family – California News Service

AHA! Santa Barbara partners with Direct Relief helping teens – KEYT

Aloha and Trust.’ Native Hawaiʻian Health Care’s Response to Maui Fires – Angels in Medicine

The post Shipments Depart for 12 Countries; Preparing for California Storms appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 3.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including diabetes medications, wound care supplies, nutritional supplements, and more.

Amputees receive free prostheses in Ukraine

Earlier this week, the Danish organization Levitate hosted a prosthetics sports event along with Unbroken Rehabilitaion Center (both partner organizations of Direct Relief). Levitate specializes in creating prosthetics sports gear that’s affordable, durable, and easy to use; and now Levitate will be able to help Ukrainian amputees get on their feet.

With funding from Direct Relief, their team will supply running blades and other prostheses to patients at the country’s largest rehabilitation centers, Unbroken and Superhumans, as well as other partners identified throughout the program. The Levitate team will also personally do the training, fitting, and adjusting of prosthetics for the patients in Ukraine.

The founder of Levitate, Lasse Madsen, is an amputee himself and had to overcome a considerable series of financial and emotional hurdles to get the gear he needed, including time-consuming appointments and costly equipment that often failed to deliver on quality. He and his team are determined to make the process easier for others.

Mountain Heart Nepal Receives Medical Products from Direct Relief

Native Hawai’ian health care continues to respond to Maui fires

The Maui wildfires last August, which claimed the lives of 100 people, presented a series of tragic circumstances. However, healthcare professionals with deep roots in the community, none of whom had emergency response experience, refused to be deterred and responded to the specific needs of their patients. And they did so in a way that reflects the benefits of building trust and familiarity with the local culture.

“We know Hawaiʻians. Even if it’s free, no one is going to come in and just take. That’s not our style. If we have nothing to contribute, we’re not going to take,” said Mālia Purdy, executive director of Hui No Ke Ola Pono, one of five Native Hawaiʻian healthcare systems.

Read the full story here.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped more than 940,000 defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 535 shipments containing over nine tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 1,588 shipments to 771 partner organizations in 51 U.S. states and territories and 29 countries.

These shipments contained 98.2M defined daily doses of medication totaling 320,619 lbs.

The post Medical Support for Ukraine, Nepal, and Maui Continues appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 3.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, surgical supplies, nutritional supplements, and more.

Medical Aid Supports U.S. Health Clinics

In response to recent severe storms, this week 12 pallets of requested medical aid departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara, California, for U.S. health clinics across the country.

The medical aid includes pain medications, diabetes treatment supplies, and vitamins, which are essential for providing continued care to patients. These donations will help ensure continued care amid weather disruptions across the country.

Equipping Search and Rescue Teams in Puerto Rico

This week, Direct Relief donated 24 field medic packs to the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau and Disaster Administration’s (NMEAD) specialized rescue units, as well as Puerto Rico’s Urban Search and Rescue Medical Team.

Other attendees included the search and rescue coordinators’ unit composed of doctors, nurses and paramedics who are charged with managing and executing rescue operations, ensuring efficiency across the search and the safety of the teams.

Direct Relief’s field medic packs contain supplies and equipment to meet a variety of prevalent disaster-related medical issues, including infection control, diagnostics, trauma care, and personal protective equipment.

Respiratory Medications Reach Newborns in Lebanon

A shipment of lifesaving medications for premature infants recently arrived in Lebanon, and will support hospital care in NICU settings. The requested respiratory medications, donated by Direct Relief, are otherwise unavailable in Lebanon due to medication stock-outs from the country’s economic crisis.

The medications were delivered to Lebanon in coordination with NGO Anera, and are being used to improve lung capacity for babies requiring breathing support.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped 1.8 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 354 shipments containing over seven tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 1,024 shipments to 606 partner organizations in 51 U.S. states and territories and 22 countries.

These shipments contained 19.2M defined daily doses of medication totaling 281,455 lbs.

The post Shipments Depart as Winter Weather Batters U.S. appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 14.9 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including children’s vitamins, diabetes treatments and glucose monitoring supplies, vaccines, nutritional supplements, anti-inflammatories, and more.

Supporting Mobile Clinics In Nepal, Post-Earthquake

This past November, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck western Nepal, killing 153 people and injuring hundreds more. In this remote area of the country, patients face difficulties accessing medical care even in ordinary circumstances and are particularly medically vulnerable in emergency situations.

Mountain Heart Nepal, a Nepali non-profit that specializes in providing emergency medical care, quickly moved into action. With grant funding from Direct Relief and equipped with field medic packs provided by FedEx, their teams set up four mobile clinics, reaching over 700 patients in the highly earthquake-affected districts of West Rukum and Jajarkot.

These clinics provided immediate care for the injured but also performed general health screenings, dental care, infectious disease treatment, and supplied medication refills for the management of chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes.

Equipping Search and Rescue Teams in Mexico

This week, the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) received thirty field medic packs funded by FedEx and three emergency health kits, all donated by Direct Relief. The donations contain critical medical supplies that will support Mexico’s future search and rescue operations.

Increasing support for tuberculosis care in Syria

Compounding humanitarian crises of protracted civil war and catastrophic earthquakes last February have significantly weakened the overall healthcare system in northwest Syria. Earlier this year, Syria Relief and Development, a local NGO and long-time partner of Direct Relief, was working to sustain the operations of the tuberculosis treatment center in the Azaz region.

As the sole operational TB facility within an area housing over one million people, this treatment center plays a vital role in preventing the spread of tuberculosis while also alleviating the suffering and reducing deaths associated with the disease.

To help address this pressing healthcare need, Direct Relief provided grant funding to help sustain the operations of the center. In total, 456 patients were helped with services, including TB investigations and the provision of TB treatment drugs.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped 13.1 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 369 shipments containing over seven tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 655 shipments to 452 partner organizations in 47 U.S. states and territories and 12 countries.

These shipments contained 11.2M defined daily doses of medication totaling 142,966 lbs.

The post Mobile Health in Nepal, Supporting Search and Rescue in Mexico, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 24 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, vaccines, nutritional supplements, anti-inflammatories, and more.

Puerto Rico Health Fair

Recently, Direct Relief and Puerto Rican NGO La Fondita de Jesús collaborated to bring primary healthcare services to the community of Villa Calma in Tao Baja, an underserved metropolitan area composed of roughly 150 families in Puerto Rico vulnerable to flooding.

Volunteer healthcare providers from La Fondita de Jesús treated community members using a mobile medical unit donated by Direct Relief. Services included administering vaccines and visiting patients with mobility challenges to ensure they were cared for. Direct Relief team members distributed personal care items and solar-powered lights for use since the community experiences frequent power outages.

Additionally, as part of La Fondita de Jesús’ mission to empower communities on self-sustainability, the organization delivered groceries to families and provided community development education, including maintaining home gardens.

Providing Medical Oxygen in Yemen

An oxygen plant opened this week in Yemen’s Shabwah Governorate, bringing medical-grade oxygen to nearly 70,000 individuals being treated in the region’s hospitals and health centers. This project was installed and facilitated by Yemen Aid with funding from Direct Relief and will produce up to 50 cylinders of oxygen per day.

The World Health Organization classifies medical oxygen as an essential medicine and is often used in healthcare settings to treat patients with respiratory illnesses, like Covid-19 and pneumonia, during surgery and trauma care, in the neonatal intensive care unit for babies requiring additional oxygen support, and more.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

Over the last week, Direct Relief shipped 22.1 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 528 shipments containing over three tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 344 shipments to 276 partner organizations in 42 US states and territories and 10 countries.

These shipments contained 11.2M defined daily doses of medication totaling 142,966 lbs.

The post Supporting Healthcare in Puerto Rico, Medical Oxygen in Yemen appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 578.9 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, personal care kits for those displaced by disasters and emergencies, vaccines, cancer treatment therapies, insulin, and more.

2023 at a Glance

Direct Relief responded to a range of events in 2023, from natural disasters to war. The organization worked with countless health providers and community members who stepped up to help others around them. Below are some of their stories.

Supporting Local Search and Rescue

In 2023, Direct Relief, in coordination with the California Office of Emergency Services, donated multiple emergency response vehicles to bolster search and rescue efforts in California.

Southern California, where Direct Relief’s headquarters is located, experienced torrential rain last week, with some areas receiving over 15 inches.

During these rains, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office conducted its first in-county deployment of the Medcat, a rescue vehicle donated by Direct Relief earlier this year. The vehicle assisted in the evacuation of seven residents and 10 animals as floodwaters rose.

In addition to the Medcat, Direct Relief also donated a search and rescue truck to Santa Barbara County in July to support local rescue efforts.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

In 2023, Direct Relief shipped 492 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.

Countries that received medical aid over the past year included:

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 20,600 shipments containing over 407 tons of medications over the past year to organizations, including the following:

IN THE NEWS

‘The Bell’ Symphony for Cello and Orchestra to support Direct Relief efforts in Ukraine – The Strad

Ask Amy: Annual charity column shows ways to give – The Washington Post

US trust to establish new infectious disease hubs in Aurangabad, Latur – The Times of India

The post 2023 in Review appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 10.3 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, vaccines, emergency hygiene kits, and personal care products.

Hurricane Otis response continues

In response to Hurricane Otis, shipments of Sanofi insulin and hexavalent vaccine products donated by Direct Relief were delivered to impacted regions in Mexico. The shipment of vaccines was received by the Guerrero Ministry of Health at Hospital Raymundo Abarca Alarcón in Chilpancingo. The donated shipment of insulin was received by Federación Mexicana de Diabetes at Hospital Naval in Acapulco.

midwives address health needs in morocco

Since the devastating magnitude 6.8 earthquake that shook Morocco in September, AMSF (L’Asociation Marocaine de Sages femmes or the Moroccan Midwives Association) has been hard at work providing healthcare to women in the localities affected by the quake.

With grant funding from Direct Relief, the non-profit has launched a health caravan, essentially a clinic on wheels, that is providing sexual and reproductive health care and psychological support. Their team is also now able to undertake a preparedness and recovery training in reproductive health via a distance learning module provided by the Women’s Refugee Commission.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped 9.2 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 503 shipments containing over 10 tons of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE (GLOBAL)

Since January 1, 2023, Direct Relief has delivered 21,600 shipments to 2,568 healthcare providers in 55 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries.

These shipments contained 549.2 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $2 billion (wholesale), totaling 6.2 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

Last-minute distribution helps provide toys, hygiene kits, blankets to 100+ Santa Maria families – KSBY

‘The Bell’ Symphony for Cello and Orchestra to support Direct Relief efforts in Ukraine – The Strad

Nourishing Brands: How Liquid IV Became A Billion Dollar Hydra – The Marketing Sage

AbbVie spends $350M to bolster healthcare, education; ‘We look forward to the impact we will make in the decades to come’ – Chicago Tribune

America’s Top 100 Charities – Forbes Magazine

The post Disaster Relief Efforts Continue in Mexico and Morocco appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 7.2 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including insulin, vaccines, emergency hygiene kits, and personal care products.

Tennessee Tornadoes

Over the past weekend, tornadoes impacted multiple counties in Tennessee, killing at least six people and injuring at least two dozen more.

In response to the storms and tornadoes in Tennessee, Direct Relief sent offers of assistance to health centers and clinics in impacted areas.

In response, an initial shipment of 50 personal care kits arrived at Faith Family Medical Clinic. The kits contain items such as toothbrushes, soap, and other essentials for people displaced from their homes due to the storms.

Requested shipments of chronic disease medications, as well as vitamins and nutritional products, departed earlier this week for Neighborhood Health, a community health center with multiple locations in Davidson and Wilson Counties.

Supporting Maui Residents After the Fires

Last week, volunteers packed 5,000 kits of personal protective equipment, including gloves and boot covers, at Direct Relief’s headquarters in Santa Barbara. These kits will be shipped to Maui and provided for free to people re-entering Lahaina after the devastating fires in August.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped 4.2 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 452 shipments containing almost 13 tons of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE (GLOBAL)

Since January 1, 2023, Direct Relief has delivered 21,000 shipments to 2,503 healthcare providers in 55 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries.

These shipments contained 541.3 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.9 billion (wholesale), totaling 6.1 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

Direct Relief ranks fifth in Forbes top 100 largest U.S. charities – KEYT

America’s Top 100 Charities – Forbes Magazine

How To Use Forbes’ Top Charities List To Guide Your Own Giving – Forbes

The post Shipments for Tennessee Tornadoes, Protective Gear for Maui, and More appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 15.5 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, insulin, rare disease therapies, personal protective equipment, and chronic disease medications.

One of this week’s recipients was Care Beyond the Boulevard, a Kansas City-based organization dedicated to providing medical care to those living without permanent housing.

The group received donated medications and supplies, including insulin, nutritional supplements, and anti-inflammatories.

Additionally, over 4.7 million N95 masks departed Direct Relief’s warehouse this week for the Ministry of Health of Baja California. They will be distributed to multiple groups and government agencies in the region.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped 13.6 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 532 shipments containing more than six tons of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE (GLOBAL)

Since January 1, 2023, Direct Relief has delivered 20,500 shipments to 2,485 healthcare providers in 55 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries.

These shipments contained 534.2 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.9 billion (wholesale), totaling 6.1 million lbs.

IN THE NEWS

Health for All: Reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 75th Anniversary – LinkedIn

“It’s Amazing What Can Be Done Here.” Colorado Health Center Offers Community for Those in Recovery – National Association of Community Health Centers

Veterans Stand Down 2023 Helps More than 400 Military Vets – The Santa Barbara Independent

United We Bake Harnessing Power of Comfort Food to Aid Direct Relief’s Efforts in Israel and Gaza – Noozhawk

Meharry SACS Students Named Direct Relief Scholars – Meharry School of Applied Computational Sciences

The post Shipments Depart to Support U.S. Street Medicine, Masks for Mexico appeared first on Direct Relief.

The shipments contained 25.4 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including prenatal vitamins, protective equipment, rare disease therapies, cancer treatments, and chronic disease medications.

Power and Health Summit Convened at Direct Relief

The intersection of climate and health was the focus of a panel discussion and film screening at Direct Relief this week. On Thursday, a screening of the short documentary “The Climate and Us: Invisible Impacts of Wildfires,” a co-production of Direct Relief and BBC’s StoryWorks, was shown in Direct Relief’s Hatch Hall in its Santa Barbara headquarters.

The film explores the aftermath of the 2018 Camp Fire on the Northern California community of Paradise, and how a local health center continues to help the area recover. The short film can be seen below.

The event also featured a panel discussion, featuring Former President of Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez, UCSB Professor of Economics Olivier Deschenes, and Washington Post Climate Reporter Brianna Sacks. The panel was moderated by Direct Relief CEO and President Thomas Tighe, and covered resiliency, climate and disaster planning for who is most at risk during a disaster: those most vulnerable the day before, including young children, older adults, people living with disabilities, those for whom English is a second language, and those with limited transportation options.

More than 100 power resiliency projects in 10 countries, Direct Relief’s Power for Health initiative seeks to bring clean, renewable backup power to community health centers and free clinics to ensure they can deliver critical healthcare services during power outages.

Without power, critical health services can’t be provided – lifesaving medicines go bad, electronic health records can’t be accessed, essential medical equipment can’t be powered, and vital community health facilities serving the most vulnerable shut down. This initiative addresses health equity, the need for renewable energy, and community resiliency.

Learn more about the initiative here.

OPERATIONAL SNAPSHOT

WORLDWIDE

This week, Direct Relief shipped 23.2 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 585 shipments containing more than six tons of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

YEAR-TO-DATE (GLOBAL)

Since January 1, 2023, Direct Relief has delivered 20,100 shipments to 2,461 healthcare providers in 55 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries.

These shipments contained 532.6 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.9 billion (wholesale), totaling 6 million lbs.

in the news

Pac Biz Times reports: Direct Relief reaches milestone in aid to U.S. nonprofits – KEYT

Direct Relief shares ways you can give this holiday season – News Channel 9

EMS Agency visits Direct Relief to fight opioid epidemic – KEYT

Walmart Foundation commits $1 million to support humanitarian aid in Gaza – Yahoo Finance

Direct Relief Improves the Health and Lives of People Affected by Poverty or Emergencies – Noozhawk

Direct Relief tallies $2B in aid to U.S. nonprofits – Pacific Coast Business Times

Santa Barbara restaurant collaborates with Direct Relief to help those affected by Maui wildfires – KEYT

The post Power, Health & Climate appeared first on Direct Relief.