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Direct Relief Delivers Insulin, Diabetes Care Supplies to Ecuador

The critical shipment supports Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health for distribution to patients through the national health system, and includes insulin donated by Novo Nordisk, and needles and syringes donated by embecta.

News

Ecuador

Insulin arrives in Ecuador
Insulin, donated by Novo Nordisk, arrives in Ecuador to support health needs. The insulin was part of a critical shipment, which also included donated syringes and needles from embecta, received by the country's Ministry of Health in coordination with Direct Relief and NGO La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil. (Photo courtesy of La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil)
By Brea Burkholz

Direct Relief has delivered 52,000 vials of insulin along with more than 2.1 million needles and syringes to Ecuador, supporting ongoing efforts by the country’s Ministry of Public Health to ensure people living with diabetes have access to essential treatment.

The insulin was donated by Novo Nordisk, and the needles and syringes were donated by embecta. Direct Relief coordinated the shipment in collaboration with Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil, a longstanding nonprofit healthcare provider in Ecuador, working together to deliver the supplies to the Ministry of Public Health for distribution through the national health system.

Insulin, donated by Novo Nordisk, and needles and syringes donated by embecta, arrives in Ecuador via a temperature-controlled shipment to support health needs in Ecuador. (Photo courtesy of La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil)

The shipment arrived in Quito, where it was received by health authorities and incorporated into the Ministry’s medical supply system for distribution to public hospitals and health facilities across Ecuador.

For many people living with diabetes, insulin is an essential treatment that helps control blood sugar and lowers the risk of serious complications. The donation is expected to provide one month of insulin for 14% of Ecuadorian people living with diabetes, helping them maintain their treatment and stay healthy.

“For some people living with diabetes, access to insulin is not optional—it is essential to daily life,” said Erick Molina, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Direct Relief. “This collaboration reflects what is possible when health authorities, nonprofit partners, and the private sector work together with a shared commitment to patient care. Direct Relief is proud to stand with Ecuador and partners across the region to help ensure people have access to the medicines they need.”

Members of the country’s Ministry of Health and NGO La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil are pictured with the shipment in a medical refrigeration room. (Photo courtesy of La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil)

“We are deeply grateful to see this donation reaching the people who need it most in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Ensuring access to essential treatment such as insulin is a shared responsibility, and this collaboration with Direct Relief demonstrates what we can achieve together. Thank you to the teams in Chartres, our colleagues in Global Humanitarian Supply, and everyone involved for making this meaningful impact possible for patients and health authorities in a moment of high need,” said Ignacio Landa, General Manager, Novo Nordisk South America Cluster.

Novo Nordisk has partnered with Direct Relief since 2018 to support people living with diabetes through humanitarian medicine donations. Over that time, the company has contributed $424 million worth of medicines and supplies, enabling Direct Relief to distribute 70.5 million defined daily doses of diabetes medications to patients in 49 countries.

The cold chain shipment arrives via refrigerated truck and was received by the country’s Ministry of Health. (Photo courtesy of La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil)

“We are driven by our mission to develop and provide solutions that make life better for people with diabetes, wherever they may be,” said Hiliary Johnson, VP Global and U.S. Marketing for embecta. “We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with Direct Relief, which enables us to reach and better support the diabetes community throughout Ecuador, including those in remote and underserved areas who otherwise may not have ready access to pen needles and syringes to administer insulin.”

“At Junta de Beneficencia, we highly value this collaboration with Direct Relief and the Ministry of Public Health,” said Alexa Chancay of Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil. “This insulin donation represents critical support for patients in need and a significant example of institutional partnership in support of public health in Ecuador.”

Direct Relief has partnered with Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil since 1983, when the organizations worked together to mobilize emergency medical supplies for communities affected by severe floods and landslides. Since then, the partnership has expanded beyond disaster response to include ongoing efforts to help address healthcare gaps in the country. As Direct Relief’s strategic partner in Ecuador, JBG helps ensure donated medicines and medical supplies reach vulnerable people who face barriers to accessing timely and quality healthcare.

Members of the country’s Ministry of Health and NGO La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil are pictured outside of a cold storage room, where critical insulin is being stored. (Photo courtesy of La Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil)

Direct Relief has supported healthcare providers in Ecuador for more than five decades. Since beginning its work in the country in 1969, the organization has partnered with hospitals, charities, and the Ministry of Public Health to strengthen access to medicines and medical supplies. Over the years, Direct Relief and the Ministry have worked closely together to address critical health needs during major crises, including the 2016 earthquake and the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as efforts to strengthen the public healthcare system’s capacity to ensure proper care for people living with chronic health conditions, including diabetes.

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