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Supporting Women’s Health with Life-Changing Surgeries, Continued Myanmar Earthquake Response, and More

Direct Relief's Humanitarian Activity for the week of 04/11/2025 - 04/18/2025

News

Operational Update

HEAL Africa hospital staffmembers, including CEO and fistula surgeon Dr. Justin Paluku (right), are pictured with a Direct Relief-donated shipment of fistula repair supplies, which will be used to repair the condition, which can result from obstructed labor or trauma. (Courtesy photo)

Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 476 shipments of requested medical aid to 46 U.S. states and territories and nine countries worldwide. The shipments contained 4.3 million defined daily doses of medication.

Medications and supplies shipped this week included medications for breast cancer treatment, surgical supplies, antibiotics, diabetes management medications, refrigerators and cold storage for temperature-sensitive medications, personal protective equipment, cancer treatment therapies, and more.

Essential Surgical Supplies Arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Surgical supplies for women with fistula arrive at a key hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Courtesy photo)

A critical shipment of surgical supplies to support birth injury repair arrived at a hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week.

Eight fistula repair modules, donated by Direct Relief, arrived in Goma, DRC, this week, and contain enough surgical supplies and medical consumables for 400 fistula repair surgeries. Fistula can occur during or after childbirth if labor is obstructed, damaging tissue and causing long-term impacts for women.

The shipment went to support the work of HEAL Africa, which operates a 197-bed tertiary referral hospital, one of only three referral hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The facility provides general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology (including fistula repair), pediatrics, and internal medicine. It also serves as a center for healthcare and research, and for training doctors and healthcare professionals.

The hospital has been serving an influx of patients seeking care due to displacement and conflict in the region. Direct Relief has been supporting several healthcare organizations in the region with medical aid transported by roadway since the Goma International Airport remains closed due to the conflict.

Response to Deadly Myanmar Earthquake Continues

An emergency shipment containing antibiotics, diabetes medications and diagnostic supplies, personal care items, and field medic packs for first responders are staged on April 17, 2025, for departure to Myanmar. The medical aid was requested by Community Partners International, which is responding to medical needs resulting from the major earthquake that rattled the region in March 2025. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)

Support continues for areas impacted in Southeast Asia by the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that reverberated through the region, with particularly devastating impacts in Myanmar. More than 200,000 people were displaced as a result, and the AHA Center has reported 3,700 confirmed fatalities from the earthquake, and more than 4,800 injuries.

In response, Direct Relief issued a $50,000 emergency support grant to Community Partners International, or CPI, for search and rescue and mobile health programming in the earthquake’s aftermath. Direct Relief is also preparing a medical aid shipment of requested emergency medicines, including antibiotics, diabetes medications, and diagnostic supplies, hygiene items, and field medic packs filled with triage essentials for CPI’s medical work in Myanmar.

Operational Snapshot

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 465 shipments containing 2.3 million doses of medication during the past month to organizations, including the following:

  • Welvista, South Carolina
  • NC MedAssist, North Carolina
  • St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy – Dallas, Texas
  • CommunityHealth, Illinois
  • PanCare of Florida, Inc. Malone, Florida
  • Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
  • Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic Pharmacy, Virginia
  • St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Clearwater Free Clinic, Florida
  • Asociación Puertorriqueña Probienestar De Las Familias, Profamilias, Puerto Rico

Around the World

Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 2 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 25,034 lbs., to countries including the following:

  • Egypt
  • Nepal
  • Ethiopia
  • Senegal
  • Nigeria
  • Djibouti
  • Ghana
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo

YEAR-TO-DATE

Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 8,703 shipments to 1,755 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 71 countries. These shipments included 85.3 million defined daily doses of medication, valued at $684.6 million wholesale, totaling 1.4 million lbs.

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