Over the past seven days, Direct Relief has delivered 388 shipments of requested medical aid to 42 U.S. states and territories and nine countries worldwide.
The shipments contained 14.9 million defined daily doses of medication and supplies, including children’s vitamins, diabetes treatments and glucose monitoring supplies, vaccines, nutritional supplements, anti-inflammatories, and more.
This past November, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck western Nepal, killing 153 people and injuring hundreds more. In this remote area of the country, patients face difficulties accessing medical care even in ordinary circumstances and are particularly medically vulnerable in emergency situations.
Mountain Heart Nepal, a Nepali non-profit that specializes in providing emergency medical care, quickly moved into action. With grant funding from Direct Relief, their teams set up four mobile clinics, reaching over 700 patients in the highly earthquake-affected districts of West Rukum and Jajarkot.
These clinics provided immediate care for the injured but also performed general health screenings, dental care, infectious disease treatment, and supplied medication refills for the management of chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, said a representative from Mountain Heart Nepal.
In Mexico, the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) has received thirty field medic packs and three emergency health kits donated by Direct Relief. These donations contain critical medical supplies that will support Mexico’s future search and rescue operations.
Having access to adequate medical supplies during search and rescue missions is crucial. These field medic packs and emergency health kits will enable our teams to save more lives in times of crisis, said a spokesperson for SEDENA.
In northwest Syria, the overall healthcare system has been significantly weakened due to the compounded humanitarian crises of protracted civil war and catastrophic earthquakes last February. Syria Relief and Development, a local NGO and long-time partner of Direct Relief, has been working tirelessly to sustain the operations of the tuberculosis treatment center in the Azaz region.
As the sole operational TB facility within an area housing over one million people, this treatment center plays a vital role in preventing the spread of tuberculosis while also alleviating the suffering and reducing deaths associated with the disease, explained a representative from Syria Relief and Development.
To help address this pressing healthcare need, Direct Relief provided grant funding to help sustain the operations of the center. In total, 456 patients were helped with services, including TB investigations and the provision of TB treatment drugs.
Direct Relief’s impact extends beyond the United States as well. Over the last week, the organization has shipped 13.1 million defined daily doses of medication outside the U.S. to countries in need.
Since January 1, 2024, Direct Relief has delivered 655 shipments to 452 partner organizations in 47 U.S. states and territories and 12 countries.
It is evident that the work of Direct Relief is making a profound difference in the lives of people worldwide. By providing essential medical aid and support during times of crisis, they are helping to save lives and alleviate suffering.
The commitment to delivering medical aid to those who need it most is at the core of Direct Relief’s mission, and their efforts continue to make a significant impact globally.
