Global Update: Polio Vaccines to Ecuador; Covid-19 Vaccinations in Alaska; A Local Vaccine Clinic

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic Staff and volunteers meet with patients before vaccinations take place at Direct Relief headquarters on March 13, 2021. More than 100 people were vaccinated as part of the effort. (Photo by Tony Morain for Direct Relief)

In Summary

• Working with the Mexican government, Direct Relief delivered 95,000 polio vaccine doses to Ecuador.

• A $200,000 grant from Direct Relief is helping Alaska’s most vulnerable receive Covid-19 vaccines.

• Covid-19 vaccine clinic held at Direct Relief HQ.

• In Mississippi, a $250,000 grant from Direct Relief is bolstering efforts to address food insecurity.

 

Top Stories

When Ecuador Needed Polio Vaccines, Mexico and Direct Relief Stepped Up

Polio vaccine from Mexico arrives in Ecuador via Direct Relief in response to an international appeal for additional doses. (Photo: Luis Armijos, Ministry of Health of Ecuador )

The situation: Last month, Ecuador launched a national campaign to inoculate infants against polio, but the country ran short of the vaccine doses needed.

The response: The Mexican government responded to the appeal, offering to donate the vaccine from its national stockpile. To transport the aid, Mexico turned to Direct Relief.

The impact: Using its cold-chain transportation experience and resources, Direct Relief delivered 95,000 doses of the vaccine, which landed last week at Quito International Airport.

 

Direct Relief Supports Alaskan Covid-19 Vaccination Efforts

Rebecca Coupchiak, the Community Health Aide Program Manager at Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation, travels with the Covid-19 vaccine to one of 28 remote villages the health center serves in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region. (Courtesy photo)

The situation: A health center in Alaska has undertaken an ambitious plan to vaccinate people living in remote communities, some of whom need to be transported by chartered plane.

The response: Direct Relief is supporting the vaccination efforts with a $200,000 grant.

The impact: Vaccinating people in remote communities reduces the likelihood that emergencies will arise, when help is far away and dependent on weather.

 

At Direct Relief Headquarters, A Vaccine Clinic Aimed at Vulnerable Locals

Direct Relief Pharmacist Alycia Clark prepares Covid-19 vaccines for patients at a Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic-run vaccination clinic at Direct Relief’s headquarters. The event was the first of several that will be held in order to vaccinate the clinic’s patients, many of whom are low-income or uninsured. (Photo by Tony Morain for Direct Relief)

The situation: Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, a local health center, has been vaccinating the community’s most vulnerable against Covid-19.

The response: Direct Relief has hosted Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics for vaccine pop-up clinics on March 13 and 18, and will continue to do so.

The impact: More than 100 members of the community received the vaccine at the first clinic.

 

A New Program Aims to Reduce Hunger in Mississippi

Young gardeners pose at Coastal Family Health Center’s children’s garden. (Photo courtesy of Coastal Family Health Center)

The situation: Food insecurity is on the rise, and Mississippi has the highest rates in the country.

The response: A new program headed by the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi is working to reduce hunger while offering education on healthy eating. Direct Relief is supporting the program with a $250,000 grant.

The impact: Participating health centers are working to reach a range of diverse populations, from people with HIV to children experiencing hunger.

 

In Brief

The United States

• Over the past two weeks, Direct Relief has shipped 1,027 deliveries totaling more than $11.3 million (wholesale) to 477 health organizations in 46 states and territories.
• During that time, Direct Relief has processed more than $380,000 in grant funding to support a range of health-focused initiatives.
• Direct Relief also hosted a reproductive health webinar in honor of International Women’s Day.

Around the World

• Over the same period, Direct Relief has supported organizations in 24 countries with more than $15 million in medical aid and more than $250,000 in grant funding.
• Direct Relief is in the process of shipping more than two dozen 40-foot containers of PPE to health organizations around the world.
• Since the beginning of the pandemic, the organization has shipped 3,942 oxygen concentrators to health care providers worldwide.
• In response to a call from the Pan-American Health Organization, Direct Relief sent 1,900 pounds of medical aid to support a field hospital in Barbados.

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