Global Update: Oxygen Airlifted to India Amid Surge, A Nepal Shelter for People with HIV, and More

A FedEx Boeing 777 charter flight bound for Mumbai with medical aid from Direct Relief including 3,400 oxygen concentrators and converters. (Tony Morain/Direct Relief)

By Staff

May 13, 2021

The first in a series of airlifts packed with oxygen and PPE from Direct Relief arrived in India amid a devastating Covid-19 surge.
A shelter for people with HIV is opening in Nepal, funded by a $250,000 Direct Relief grant.
On Oahu’s north shore, a community health center focuses on gaining locals’ trust.
A new research hub aims to help midwives become advocates for their community.

Direct Relief Airlifts Oxygen and Other Medical Aid to India

The situation: Oxygen is in short supply in India, which is experiencing hundreds of thousands of new Covid-19 cases each day.

The response: On Saturday, Direct Relief sent more than 3,400 oxygen concentrators and converters, and nearly 265,000 KN95 masks, via a FedEx Boeing 777 charter flight. A second airlift is scheduled to depart for Delhi this weekend, packed with oxygen concentrators and other critical items from Direct Relief.

The impact: The supplies will make their way to health care providers on the frontlines of India’s pandemic wave.

A New Shelter in Kathmandu, Nepal, Will Support Women Living with HIV

Shanti Tamang Lama, fourth from right, poses with clients, with Kathmandu as a backdrop. (Photo courtesy of the Shanti Foundation)

The situation: People are often diagnosed with HIV at a late stage in Nepal. Many experience stigma and difficulty receiving treatment. Those who seek treatment in Kathmandu may have difficulty finding a place to stay.

The response: A new shelter will support women undergoing treatment for HIV in Nepal’s capital.

The impact: The shelter will provide medical and emotional support, help women earn livelihoods, and work to reintegrate them into their communities.

An Oahu Health Center Brings on Community Health Workers

The situation: In Wahiawa, Hawaii, an isolated community near Oahu’s North Shore, a significant portion of the population lacks access to basic goods including medical care, adequate housing, and electricity. These factors, known as social determinants of health, make it difficult for patients to prioritize their health and can result in worse health outcomes.

The response: To help these patients access healthcare, Direct Relief, together with BD, provided a $150,000 grant to help Wahiawa Health incorporate community health workers into their outreach programs.

The impact: Community health workers will help patients overcome barriers preventing them from adhering to their medication regimens, including housing and food insecurity, a lack of electricity, or language barriers.

A New Project Aims to Help Midwives Use Data to Advocate for Their Communities

A midwife tends to a young patient. (Photo by Anushree Surin for the International Confederation of Midwives)

The situation: Midwives around the world are in a unique position to understand the health needs of their communities – and advocate for them.

The response: The forthcoming Global Midwives’ Hub, hosted by Direct Relief working with the International Confederation of Midwives, will help these vital health workers use data to better understand needs in their countries and around the world.

The impact: The hub is designed to help midwives design projects of their own, positioning them as researchers and advocates in their own right.

In Brief

The United States

• Over the past two weeks, Direct Relief has delivered 471 shipments to 336 partners in 42 states and territories, totaling $2.9 million in value and more than 58,000 pounds.
• During that time, more than $1.6 million in grants has been distributed.
• Direct Relief partners are caring for newly arrived migrants on the southern border.

Around the World

• In the past two weeks, Direct Relief has delivered 39 shipments to 37 partners in 23 countries totaling $35.2 million in value and more than 295,000 pounds.
• More than $221,000 in grants was distributed over the same two weeks.
• As Timor Leste deals with severe flooding and the Covid-19 pandemic, Direct Relief is supporting an on-the-ground organization with a $20,000 grant.
• At the request of a pediatric intensivist in Haiti, Direct Relief secured an urgently needed medication for a 12-year-old patient with aplastic anemia.