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Critical Medical Resources Staged as Hurricane Elsa Moves through the Caribbean
The situation: Building in strength over warm waters in the Caribbean Friday morning, Hurricane Elsa is the first hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The response: Each year, Direct Relief ships Hurricane Preparedness Packs to storm-prone communities across the globe. The caches are stocked with emergency medicines and supplies often requested after a disaster, and several have been staged in Barbados, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, and others are en route to St. Lucia and St. Vincent, which was the site of a volcanic eruption earlier this year. The impact: As Elsa tracks across the Caribbean Sea, Emergency Response Teams are monitoring the storm for impacts. Direct Relief has offered support to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and is ready to respond.Direct Relief Supports Covid-19 Vaccine Shipments to Latin America, the Caribbean
The situation: Latin America and the Caribbean remain the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Pan American Health Organization, with only about one out of 10 people fully vaccinated. The response: The government of Mexico called on Direct Relief to help with shipping approximately 465,000 vaccines to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Jamaica, following earlier shipments to Belize, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The organization provided cold storage shippers, customs support, and logistical expertise. The impact: The vaccine doses reached their destinations on June 24 and June 30. READ MORETo Bolster Covid-19 Vaccination Efforts, Direct Relief Provides Funding, Ultracold Freezers
The situation: Covid-19 vaccination rates in the United States are slowing, and the safety net is getting creative – showing up to businesses, local festivities, and even patients’ homes to get people vaccinated. The response: Direct Relief has already given $10 million to the nation’s health centers and $2 million to clinics to bolster their vaccination efforts. Most recently, the organization provided more than $50,000 worth of portable ultracold freezers to help safety net providers store and carry the Pfizer vaccine. The impact: The funding and freezers will help clinics and health centers continue to vaccinate the country’s most vulnerable. READ MOREGrant Funding Helps Women Access Contraception, Education in Mexico
The situation: While a national family planning program makes birth control available to Mexican women over the counter, many experience stigma and other barriers to contraception and education. The response: Since July 2020, Direct Relief has provided more than $84,000 in grant funding to CASA, a center for sexual and reproductive health care in San Miguel de Allende. The impact: The funding will help CASA’s patients access contraceptives, family planning, and sexual health education resources. READ MOREA Bangladesh Skin Clinic Serves Rohingya Refugees
The situation: In Bangladesh’s Rohingya camps, crowded conditions and limited access to running water create ideal conditions for skin disease. The response: Bolstered by $81,000 in grant funding from Direct Relief and Vaseline, in addition to medical aid, HOPE for Women and Children of Bangladesh runs a weekly skin clinic. The impact: More than 12,000 people have received free care and medication thus far. READ MOREIN BRIEF