Hurricane Dorian Relief

Dorian Recovery Continues

Immediate Response

Hurricane Dorian, one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to strike the Bahamas, made landfall over the islands of Grand Bahama and the Abacos, bringing wind gusts up to 220 mph. The hurricane stalled over the region, subjecting it to hurricane-force winds for a record-breaking 40 hours. Dorian brought an estimated 40 inches of rainfall and created a 23-foot storm surge, leading to widespread devastation, particularly in eastern Grand Bahama and the northern Abacos. Over 75,000 Bahamians were directly affected, with many losing their homes and being forced to evacuate.

Hurricane Dorian’s impact led to a complex disaster response, with extensive emergency medical needs across multiple islands. With infrastructure severely damaged and normal logistics pipelines disrupted, Direct Relief worked with partners to hand-deliver emergency medicines where they were needed, using large and small watercraft, small aircraft, and helicopters. Direct Relief was able to deliver emergency medicines and supplies to all functioning health facilities and continue supporting resupply requests.

As the response continued, Direct Relief deployed emergency resources via formal agreements with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Pan American Health Organization, and dozens of NGO and government entities, including in the Bahamas.

Direct Relief has provided more than 98 tons of medical aid, worth more than $7.9 million (wholesale), amounting to more than 1.4 million defined daily doses of medication, since Hurricane Dorian made landfall. This medical aid was distributed to local clinics, shelters and hospitals, including the main hospitals in Marsh Harbor and Freeport. This support includes cold chain shipments, containing vaccines, insulin and other temperature-sensitive medications. Direct Relief also expanded cold storage capacity by donating FDA-compliant refrigerators and freezers so vaccines and other cold chain items could be properly stored.

Direct Relief has worked closely with the MOH and the Supply Management Division (SMA) to assess needs from across the country, receive requests, and distribute donated medical goods.

Since Hurricane Dorian made landfall, Direct Relief has:

• Supplied Emergency Health Kits, Emergency Backpacks, and a range of other supplies in support of medical teams. During the emergency phase of the disaster, Direct Relief supported and enabled multiple Emergency Medical Teams with four Emergency Health Kits, medical backpacks, and a range of other supplies. These teams include NYC Medics, Green Cay Clinic, Global Support and Development, and a team of medics from Puerto Rico.
• Delivered more than 100 tons of requested medicines and supplies. Direct Relief worked in coordination with the SMA and MOH to distribute the products to local clinics, shelters, and hospitals.
• Delivered adult and pediatric tetanus and TDAP vaccines, insulin, and injectable antibiotics to combat a syphilis outbreak. Direct Relief dispatched four cold-chain donations valued at $1,128,714.
• Fully equipped four ambulances donated by Global Medical Response (GMR). These ambulances are now in the Bahamas and are filling the gap in emergency health services created due to hurricane damage to MOH ambulances.
• Delivered 76 hospital beds and 10 birthing beds for Princess Margaret Hospital in order to manage the huge influx of evacuees into Nassau.
• Delivered FDA-approved vaccine refrigerators and freezers to health facilities. Upon request and in order to enable the MOH to conduct vitally important vaccine campaigns and effectively store cold-chain medications, Direct Relief donated vaccine fridges and freezers. The units are being used at the Rand Hospital in Grand Bahama, Marsh Harbour Clinic on Abaco, and at the National Immunization Center in Nassau.
• Supported the operation of a mobile medical bus on the Abacos. The mobile facility is providing primary care and basic lab services to affected communities in remote areas on Grand Abaco.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

At the request of the Bahamian MOH, Direct Relief has committed to supporting a number of large health infrastructure projects including:

• The purchase, delivery, and connection of a containerized operating theater designed to restore essential operating room capacity at Rand Memorial Hospital, the largest referral hospital in Grand Bahama which serves an estimated 80,000 patients. Direct Relief is also supporting the reconstruction of the full operating theater within the hospital, which was rendered unusable – along with significant parts of the hospital itself – by hurricane-related storm surges and flooding. The temporary containerized solution allows for services that had been conducted in tents for months until threatened by the approach of Tropical Strom Isaiah in late July.
• The hospital has also received extensive support for post-disaster repairs from Direct Relief and its partners in the months following Hurricane Dorian, including demolition, structural expansions, new build-outs, and the repair or replacement of more than 150 items of medical equipment.
• In addition, working with the Bahamian MOH and other international aid organizations and corporate partners, Direct Relief has now funded or has begun to fund a number of large-scale health infrastructure projects, including designs and construction of a brand-new clinic to replace the High Rock Community Clinic that was totally destroyed on Grand Bahama during the hurricane. The organization is also building a new clinic in Great Guana Cay and supporting major repairs to Marsh Harbor Clinic, the largest referral hospital on the island of Marsh Harbor, in addition to funding and overseeing repairs and new construction of on-site medical staff housing.
• Repairs have been fully completed to Hope Town Clinic and, the clinic is now open and operational for seeing patients.

Direct Relief is committed to providing ongoing support to partners in the Bahamas to ensure quality care for its most vulnerable citizens going forward.