In response to the unprecedented humanitarian crisis of Hurricane Dorian, a 22-pallet shipment of requested medicines and medical supplies arrived in Nassau on Monday. Those supplies will be distributed to medical providers, via the Bahamian Ministry of Health, working to provide care to those in need.

The 7-ton shipment, valued at nearly $400,000, included insulin, antibiotics, wound care items, IV fluids and other essential medical inventory requested by the the chief medical officer of the Bahamas. Transportation of the shipment was provided free-of-charge by FedEx.

The death toll in the Bahamas has reached 43 and is expected to rise, and at least 60,000 people will require food and medical assistance, according to Hubert Minnis, Bahamian Prime Minister.

Direct Relief is currently the main supplier of emergency medical materials to the Bahamas with almost 10 tons of emergency medicines and medical supplies with a wholesale value of over $550,000, either already hand-delivered to health facilities in Abaco and Grand Bahama, with medical teams, or that has arrived to the Ministry of Health in Nassau. An additional 3.5 tons of emergency medicines and materials have been staged in Florida – including emergency health kits, hygiene kits, tents, and water filtration supplies.

At the request of the chief medical officer, Direct Relief is supplying multiple FDA-approved vaccine fridges and freezers to enable the Ministry of Health to restore its essential vaccine capacity and prepare for any possible disease outbreaks. Eight ambulances will also be supplied with medical aid, through the American Medical Response, which is sending ambulances to the islands. Most ambulances operated by the Bahamian emergency medical services were destroyed during the hurricane, and AMR ambulances will help fill the gaps.