Over the past seven days, Direct Relief delivered 374 shipments of requested medical aid to 48 U.S. states and territories and eight countries worldwide, including Ukraine.
The shipments contained 23.2 million defined daily doses of medication, including N-95 masks, mental health medications, antibiotics, chronic disease medications, nutritional products, insulin, and cancer treatments.
This week marked the start of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. To prepare, Direct Relief is staging caches containing essential medications to manage chronic diseases, emergency first aid items, hygiene products and more along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic Coasts and throughout the Caribbean and Central America. Direct Relief donates the hurricane supplies to local health organizations serving communities most vulnerable to severe storms. The modules vary in size from 112 pounds for individual clinics in the United States to larger 1,680-pound modules for international destinations.
UKRAINE RESPONSE TO DATE
Since February 24, Direct Relief has provided medical aid weighing more than 1.4 million pounds, or 700 tons in weight, with more on the way. This week, pallets of cold-chain medications and wound care supplies departed Direct Relief’s warehouse for health providers in Ukraine.
In the three months since the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, Direct Relief has also supported Ukraine and the surrounding regions over $14.7 million in direct financial assistance to other organizations in the region. The cash assistance has included direct payments for refugees to cover prescription medication costs, as well as operating funds for health facilities providing care in Ukraine.
Additionally, Direct Relief is providing grant support to the newly established International Confederation of Midwives/Direct Relief Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. The fund, which seeks to complement existing state initiatives, will provide direct financial assistance to midwives and their associations on the frontlines of the crisis in Ukraine and its neighboring countries.
Direct Relief has been responding directly to specific medical requests from Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, as well as NGOs and local organizations supporting health care in Ukraine.
IN THE NEWS
- Island of Dominica Receives Oxygen System Support in Foreign Aid – CAIRE: “Thanks to generous support and the partnership with Direct Relief and Build Health International, their health initiatives are getting the funding they need to deliver lifesaving care. The AirSep system installed happens to be the only public oxygen supply system in the country – supplying not only to the hospital but 52 other associated health facilities across the island.”
- Three Months Into Ukraine Crisis, More Than 650 Tons of Medical Aid and $14.7 Million in Direct Financial Assistance Provided – ReliefWeb: “Direct Relief’s main objective in any large-scale disaster response is to safely and securely deliver emergency medical resources – that are requested, approved by the responsible government authority, and appropriate for the circumstances – where they are most needed, as fast and efficiently as possible.”
- Donated Cancer Medicines Help Save Lives in Lebanon – Anera: “Thanks to a donation by Direct Relief, Anera has been able to distribute a substantial supply of anti-cancer and insulin medications. The medications are an essential part of a new biological therapy for cancers like melanoma, leukemia, and solid tumor cancers such as lung cancer.“
- Institute Graduates First Class of “Training for Change” Participants – Institute for Family Health: “The Institute for Family Health was delighted to graduate our first cohort of five Community Health Change Agents, generously supported by the Fund for Health Equity, a program sponsored by Direct Relief. Training for Change is a five-month workforce development project designed to recruit, train and employ community members whose lived experiences represent those of the Institute’s patient population.“
WORLDWIDE
This week, outside the U.S., Direct Relief shipped more than 20.5 million defined daily doses of medication.
Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:
- Ukraine
- Ecuador
- Tanzania
- North Macedonia
- Ghana
- Tunisia
- Afghanistan
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
UNITED STATES
Direct Relief delivered 356 shipments containing 2.7 million doses of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:
• Pancare of Florida, Inc. Malone, Florida
• Good Samaritan Clinic, Arkansas
• Agape Clinic, Texas
• Kintegra Family Medicine – Hudson, North Carolina
• Health Services Inc., Alabama
• Del Norte Community Health Center, California
• Franklin County Community Care, Texas
• Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, Florida
• UF Mobile Outreach Clinic, Florida
• Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Inc., North Carolina
YEAR TO DATE
Since January 1, 2022, Direct Relief has delivered 7,916 shipments to 1,567 healthcare organizations in 52 U.S. states and territories and 77 countries.
These shipments contained 248.2 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $959.8 million (wholesale) and weighing 8.5 million lbs.
