Over the past seven days, Direct Relief has delivered 470 shipments of requested medical aid to 44 U.S. states and territories and 12 countries worldwide.
The shipments contained 22.3 million defined daily doses of medication, including antibiotics, antihistamines, cardiovascular medications, and more.
The organization is tracking multiple disasters across the globe, and will continue to respond.
Puerto rico
Direct Relief has been working to provide critical relief, including backup generators, medicines, and hygiene products after Hurricane Fiona swept through Puerto Rico on Sunday.
Additional shipments of essential medical supplies, including wound care products, hygiene products, PPE, and more are leaving Direct Relief’s warehouse in Santa Barbara, California, for Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Fiona.
Since Hurricane Maria in 2017, Direct Relief established a regional disaster response hub in Puerto Rico, and staff members are contacting health centers around the territory to assess needs from the most recent storm.
Among this week’s Direct Relief deliveries was a power generator for a pediatric hospital patient requiring a 24/7 life-sustaining ventilator and other equipment in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico.
Direct Relief staff delivered supplies for diabetes management, including lancets, blood glucose readers and test strips, and insulin to Med Centro, a health center serving the community of Ponce, which is located on the island’s southern coast, and also to the Ponce Medical School Foundation.
Field medic packs for first responders and essential medicines were also delivered to Med Centro.
More on Direct Relief’s response to Hurricane Fiona here.
Mexico
In response to a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck western Mexico on Monday, Direct Relief staff, with transportation support from FedEx delivered emergency medical backpacks to the Air Services Department of the Secretary of Public Security of Michoacán to assist with search and rescue operations.
Direct Relief has reached out to local and federal response agencies to offer assistance if needed.
Ukraine
Since February 24, Direct Relief has provided medical aid to Ukraine weighing more than 1.8 million pounds, or 900 tons, with more on the way.
Over the past seven days, shipments including nutritional supplements, cardiovascular medications, antibiotics and more departed Direct Relief’s warehouse in California bound for Ukraine.
Operational Snapshot
WORLDWIDE
This week, Direct Relief shipped more than 21.5 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S.
Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:
- Ukraine
- Paraguay
- India
- Poland
- Pakistan
- Guyana
- Peru
- Honduras
- Dominican Republic
- Mexico
UNITED STATES
Direct Relief delivered 437 shipments containing 783,959 doses of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:
- Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic, Texas
- Palmetto Health Clinic, Inc., Georgia
- Utah Naloxone
- Health for All, Texas
- Pasadena Health Center, Texas
- Community Care Center, North Carolina
- NKY Health Department, Kentucky
- Hope Clinic and Care Center, Wisconsin
- St. Clare Medical Outreach, Maryland
YEAR TO DATE (GLOBAL)
Since January 1, 2022, Direct Relief has delivered 14.2K shipments to 1,969 healthcare providers in 53 U.S. states and territories and 86 countries.
These shipments contained 433.3M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.3B (wholesale), totaling 9.9M lb.
IN THE NEWS
- Lack of power in Puerto Rico creates life-or-death situations for those with medical needs – NBC News: “After learning about De Jesús Ramos’ condition, Ivonne Rodríguez-Wiewall, executive adviser of Direct Relief Puerto Rico, and a team arrived at his home in Jayuya on Thursday afternoon bringing a generator. Direct Relief is a non-governmental organization that donates medical supplies and other relief to communities.”
- How to help Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic recover from Hurricane Fiona’s devastation – The LA Times: “Direct Relief works in the U.S. and internationally to expand access to medicine and healthcare by equipping doctors and nurses with lifesaving medical resources. It proactively provides emergency medicine with health facilities in hurricane-prone regions of the Gulf Coast and Caribbean.”
- How can I help Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Fiona? Mutual aid, nonprofits to support – USA Today: “Direct Relief is the largest nongovernmental organization donor of medical supplies – such as trauma supplies, antibiotics, medications and field medic backpacks – to on-the-ground health care providers. The group also helps install water wells and fire and EMS systems run on solar power.”
- How to Help Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona – TIME: “Direct Relief currently has a fund to provide Puerto Rico with mobile health facilities, emergency medicine, backup power, and more.”
