Critical deliveries of medical aid continued this week in Puerto Rico, including to the hard-hit areas of Cidra, Mayaguez, and Salinas, communities that received heavy rain from Hurricane Fiona.

On Wednesday, Direct Relief staff delivered two pre-positioned kits filled with essential medicines, oxygen concentrators, insulin, field medic packs, hygiene kits, water purification tablets, and solar power chargers to health facilities across the island.

COSSMA health center in Cidra, located in central Puerto Rico, was one of the first recipients of the medications and insulin. Direct Relief staff met with Executive Director Norma Antomattei to discuss the needs of neighboring communities and how Direct Relief’s work since Hurricane Maria has enabled COSSMA’s emergency response to Hurricane Fiona.

Direct Relief also delivered essential medicines and field medic backpacks to Migrant Health Center in Mayagüez on the western coast of the island.

The team then traveled to the southern region to visit a community shelter in Salinas, where long-time partner MedCentro stationed a Direct Relief-donated mobile medical unit. In the community, a Direct Relief-donated Polaris off-road vehicle was stationed, providing medical and mental health assessments with the assistance of a doctor and social worker.

Direct Relief staff distributed personal care kits with water purification tablets and solar power chargers to households located in an area that received extensive amounts of damage due to flooding.

Emergency shipments will continue to Puerto Rico will continue this week, and will include portable generators for medical patients dependent on power for life-sustaining medical equipment.