With the staggering scale of human tragedy becoming more clear, Direct Relief extends our deepest sympathies to the people who have lost loved ones in Haiti.

To assist survivors, the organization’s emergency response team is arranging an emergency airlift containing over $2 million in medicines and medical supplies that will depart Friday.

The aid consignment will be transported by FedEx, a major contributor to Direct Relief’s emergency response work, which is again donating its legendary logistics expertise as well as airlift for the consignment.

Though communications interruptions in and out of Haiti persist, partners have reported that their facilities have sustained damage but are operational.

The emergency consignments include materials for trauma and wound care, broad-spectrum antibiotics, water-purification products, and oral-rehydration solutions.

The consignment departing Friday is for the emergency medical response efforts being conducted by Partners in Health, which has set up a temporary headquarters in the main hospital in Port-au-Prince, and has committed additional staff to the relief effort; and St. Damien Children’s Hospital, which sustained damage to its building (and, tragically, lost two volunteers to earthquake damage at their homes) but is continuing to treat trauma cases.