Direct Relief Hosts World Health Organization at New Headquarters

Direct Relief has offered $30 million of medical inventory for survivors of the Indonesia earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Sulawesi region last week. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)

By Lara Cooper

July 2, 2018

On Friday, Direct Relief staff met with a World Health Organization representative at Direct Relief’s new headquarters about how to best respond during global emergencies. Abigail Trewin, technical advisor at the WHO’s emergency response program, spoke with Direct Relief staff and toured the 155,000-square-foot facility that serves as a distribution hub for medicines and medical supplies before they’re shipped around the world.

The World Health Organization works to lead and coordinate health responses globally, and works with governments as well as nongovernmental organizations during emergencies.

Abigail Trewin, who coordinates emergency response for the World Health Organization, visits Direct Relief’s warehouse with Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe and Director of Compliance Judy Partch on June 29, 2018. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)

Direct Relief is an approved non-state actor to the Pan American Health Organization – the WHO’s regional office in the Americas – a status that allows Direct Relief to provide material and logistical support in times of sudden disaster. Trewin’s visit to Direct Relief was critical to expanding the partnership to the broader WHO network.

Direct Relief works in direct coordination with local health officials to ship only what is asked for, whether during an emergency or on an ongoing basis.

Direct Relief CEO Thomas Tighe and Abigail Trewin, who coordinates emergency response for the World Health Organization, inside Direct Relief’s cold storage room. The room is used to store vaccines, insulin and other medications that need consistently cold temperatures. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)