Direct Relief is procuring more than $130,000 in medicines specifically requested by our partners on the ground in Haiti. Outside of the organization’s standing inventory, this initial procurement includes local anesthetics, analgesics (acetaminophen, ibuprofen), antibiotics (ceftriaxone, amoxicillin, doxycycline), antiparasitic agents, and water purification tablets.

Our partners have reported that primary health concerns are infection-control and prevention for the many wounded and displaced.  For patients receiving treatment for their injuries, basic medicines like analgesics and antibiotics play an important role in their recovery.

With more than 609,000 people in Port-au-Prince alone living in makeshift shelters and tent camps, infectious-disease control is an issue. In crowded living conditions with compromised water and sanitation systems, people can contract diarrheal diseases like cholera, which quickly becomes fatal if dehydration sets in. Water purification tablets provide safe drinking water and help prevent the disease’s spread.

This first round of purchased items will supplement the more than $3.4 million (wholesale) in emergency aid provided to Haiti from the organization’s standing inventory. Direct Relief is in close touch with partners caring for Haitians affected by the earthquake and is committed to responding to needs as they develop. Donations from individuals, foundations, and companies help make this work possible.