Over the past 7 days, Direct Relief has delivered 470 shipments of requested medical aid to 41 U.S. states and territories and 10 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 4.7M defined daily doses of medication.
Medications and supplies shipped this week included field medic packs for triage care, thyroid medications, anti-inflammatory medications, personal protective equipment, rare disease therapies, and more.
Mobile Health Services Reach Hurricane-Battered Communities
Emergency response continues for Direct Relief as communities in the southeastern U.S. recover from back-to-back hurricanes.
As of October 25, Direct Relief had dispatched 111 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid valued at nearly $2.5 million to 26 healthcare providers responding to the needs of storm-affected communities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Among medical items shipped are antibiotics, emergency medical backpacks, hygiene kits, over-the-counter products, personal protective equipment, and medications to manage chronic diseases, as well as tetanus vaccine, hepatitis A and B vaccines, epinephrine for allergic reactions from bee and yellow jacket stings, oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets.
Recently, Dr. Yousef Motii, a clinician for Oceana Community Health who has been providing medical outreach in the Spanish Lakes community, which was hard-hit by tornadoes during Hurricane Milton’s path, delivered Direct Relief-donated hygiene items to the community. Dr. Motii also used a Direct Relief field medic pack to support the triage care of patients.
This week, Direct Relief announced $700,000 in direct cash support to 28 organizations providing healthcare services in hurricane-impacted communities. These grants are designated to individual health centers, charitable clinics, and other nonprofit providers responding to these crises, in order to keep health care services accessible to low-income patients affected by these disasters.
Critical Anti-Infection Therapies Arrive in Gaza
An eight-pallet shipment of antibiotic therapies recently arrived for cancer patients in Gaza living with reduced immunity. The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital has historically treated thousands of patients with cancer in Gaza, but the hospital became non-operational until a recent relocation of services to Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
NGO Anera, which worked with Direct Relief to transport the donation into Gaza, delivered the medication to the hospital’s relocated facility, which includes a cancer treatment center.
Direct Relief continues to provide humanitarian support to Gaza and regionally. So far in 2024, Direct Relief has provided more than $255 million in requested aid across the region, including to Egypt, Gaza, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, West Bank, and Yemen.
California Free Clinics Convene at Direct Relief
Representatives from more than 33 free clinics across the state of California convened this week at Direct Relief.
The California Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Annual Conference and Membership meeting met in Direct Relief’s Hatch Hall on Friday morning, kicking off a two-day conference, covering topics including sustainable funding strategies, legal and policy issues, and the current landscape in the state for free and charitable medical care.
Direct Relief staff welcomed the clinic representatives, briefing attendees on the history of the organization, Direct Relief’s work to support free clinics in the state during wildfires, floods, and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as product support available for request.
Since 2008, Direct Relief has supported 71 free and charitable clinics throughout California with more than $30 million worth of medicines and medical supplies. Fifteen clinics across the state have also received $1.29 million in cash grants to support programs focused on health equity and mental health.
Operational Snapshot
UNITED STATES
Direct Relief delivered 445 shipments containing 1.8M doses of medication during the past seven days to organizations, including the following:
- PanCare RX, Florida
- Community Volunteers in Medicine, Pennsylvania
- PryMed Medical Care, Inc., Puerto Rico
- Fundacion Manos Juntas, Oklahoma
- Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Oklahoma
- UHI CommunityCare Clinic, Florida
- Community Care Clinic, North Carolina
- New Song Health Center, Illinois
- Mercy Medical Clinic, Kentucky
- Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i, Hawai’i
Around the World
Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 1.7M defined daily doses of medication totaling 22,179 lbs., to countries including the following:
- Senegal
- Malawi
- Yemen
- St. Lucia
- India
- Zimbabwe
- Guatemala
- Sudan
YEAR TO DATE
Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 20.3K shipments to 2,269 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 88 countries. These shipments contained 349.5M defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4B (wholesale) and totaled 4.3M lbs.
In the News
As Hurricane Milton hits Florida, how New Yorkers can help loved ones in harm’s way – CBS News
Hurricane Milton: How to donate, receive help in Palm Beach County – The Palm Beach Post
This San Diego Health Center Offers Patients a Career Focused on Community – Angels in Medicine
Solon Schools’ Comet Care initiative seeks to provide relief for hurricane victims – Cleveland.com
