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Operational Update: Wildfire Response Shipments to Navajo Nation; More Support for Ukraine

News

Health

A shipment, including masks and other requested medical aid, just before departing for Navajo Nation on April 22, 2022, in response to wildfires. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)
By Maeve Ozimec

Over the past seven days, Direct Relief delivered 506 shipments of requested medical aid to 44 U.S. states and territories and 13 countries worldwide, including Ukraine.

The shipments contained 42.2 million defined daily doses of medication, including PPE, Covid-19 therapies, diabetes medication, and cancer treatments.

Included in this week’s shipments were wildfire response supplies transported overnight for arrival Saturday to the Navajo Nation. The Tunnel Fire in Arizona has burned more than 32 square miles and forced hundreds to evacuate, and Direct Relief sent items, including N95 masks, backup power units, and personal care products, which arrived Saturday at the Navajo Nation.

This week, Direct Relief announced that since the invasion of Ukraine it has granted more than $12 million to nine organizations working on the ground to address the health impacts of the Ukraine war, whether in Ukraine itself or surrounding countries receiving refugees.

The Ukraine war has created shortages of vital medications, including insulin, oncology drugs, and thyroid medicines, while increasing the need for medical aid such as PPE, wound care, antibiotics, and even an antidote to chemical weapons. The grants, made possible by donations from people in 79 countries, will fund prescription medications, equipment costs, first responder transportation and equipment, and other vital needs for organizations working on the ground.

Ukraine Response to Date

Since February 24, Direct Relief has provided medical aid weighing more than 278 tons in weight and including over 56 million defined doses of medication, with more on the way.

Included in this week’s shipments was a field hospital donated by the State of California, which contains beds, wound and IV kits, and critical trauma care supplies. The field hospital is the third of its kind that has been donated by the State of California since the start of the war in Ukraine, and will be distributed to the frontlines in south eastern Ukraine.

A large shipment of medical aid departs from Direct Relief’s warehouse on April 21, 2022. The shipment included a field hospital donated by the State of California. (Video by Maeve O’Connor)

Direct Relief is in contact with Ministries of Health throughout the region to assess needs and is sharing information with the U.N., the European Commission, and the World Bank to coordinate relief efforts.

In the News

  • ReliefWeb: Direct Relief Awards More than $12 Million in Grants for Ukraine War Relief: “The grant funding adds to the more than 508,000 pounds (230,425 kg) of direct medical aid provided by Direct Relief since February 24, 2022, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, to groups helping refugees, internally displaced persons, and others affected by the ongoing crisis.”
  • Santa Barbara News-Press: Crocheting for Ukraine: “Covenant Living at Samarkand residents have raised more than $8,100 for aid for Ukraine by crocheting and selling approximately 150 sunflowers. The successful fundraising effort was led by resident Jeri Moulder. She and others recently delivered the money to Direct Relief, the Goleta nonprofit that has provided many medical supplies to Ukraine.”
  • The ETownian: Digital Photography Students Hold Fundraiser to Support Ukraine: “The Sunflowers for Ukraine fundraiser is a combined effort by Hughes and Rev. Amy Shorner-Johnson. Together the two hope to help spread awareness with note cards featuring photos taken by students in Hughes’ digital photography class and help the people in Ukraine with the donation money. All proceeds will go to Direct Relief, a humanitarian group dedicated to sending medical supplies to help Ukrainian refugees.”

WORLDWIDE

This week, outside the U.S., Direct Relief shipped more than 41.6 million defined daily doses of medication.

Countries that received medical aid over the past week included:

  • Ukraine
  • Liberia
  • Eritrea
  • Ecuador
  • Malawi
  • Nicaragua
  • India
  • Jamaica
  • Burundi
  • Nepal

UNITED STATES

Direct Relief delivered 484 shipments containing 642,811 doses of medications over the past week to organizations, including the following:

  • Palmetto Health Council, Inc., Georgia
  • Cove House Free Clinic, Texas
  • ODA Primary Care Health Center, New York
  • Covenant Community Care Michigan Ave., Michigan
  • Health Partners Free Clinic, Ohio
  • Mission Arlington Medical Clinic, Texas
  • Zufall Health Center Dover, New Jersey
  • Open Arms Health Clinic, Texas
  • University Health – Truman Medical Center, Missouri
  • Greater Killeen Free Clinic, Texas

YEAR TO DATE

Since January 1, 2022, Direct Relief has delivered 5,883 shipments to 1,382 healthcare organizations in 51 U.S. states and territories and 68 countries.

These shipments contained 175.9 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $624.8 million (wholesale) and weighing 7.4 million lbs.

Ukraine Relief

Direct Relief is deploying emergency medical aid, from oxygen concentrators to critical care medicines – while preparing longer-term assistance to people in Ukraine displaced or affected by the war.

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