Supporting Flood Relief in Brazil, Puerto Rico Dengue Response

People move through the community via boat following flooding due to heavy rains in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil on May 6, 2024. (Photo by Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images)

Direct Relief has delivered 320 shipments of requested medical aid to 45 U.S. states and territories and 12 countries worldwide over the past seven days.

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.

Ten dengue fever kits (containing insect repellant, oral rehydration salts, thermometers, and pain medications) are staged at Direct Relief headquarters on May 30, 2024, to be shipped soon to healthcare partners in Puerto Rico helping to fight the current dengue outbreak. (Brianna Newport/Direct Relief)

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:

  • Uganda
  • Syria
  • Dominican Republic
  • Honduras
  • Haiti
  • Guatemala
  • Pakistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Malawi
  • India

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 297 shipments containing almost two tons of medications during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:

  • Faith Family Medical Clinic, Tennessee
  • Texas Lions Camp, Texas
  • Mission Of Mercy – Arizona Clinics, Arizona
  • Greene County Health Care dba Contentnea Health, North Carolina
  • Community Health Clinic of Butler County, Pennsylvania
  • TJ Bell Family Health Center Pharmacy, South Carolina
  • Payson Christian Clinic, Arizona
  • Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau, Puerto Rico
  • San Jose Clinic Pharmacy Department, Texas
  • MCR Health, Inc., Florida

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

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