Direct Relief International (Partnered w/FEDES - Supporting General Hospital of Curicó) - 2010 Chile Earthquake (MEDICAL SUPPLIES/MEDICINES/HYGIENE)

UPDATE FROM THE WEBSITE:

Direct Relief Commits Up to $100,000 Cash for Chile Response
Standing inventory of $57 million also tapped to provide medical material aid

March 4, 2010

Direct Relief International has committed up to $100,000 in cash and is drawing upon its standing medical material inventory of $57 million (wholesale) to respond to medical needs following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile.

Through its partner the Education Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FEDES) in Chile, Direct Relief is providing medical aid to the General Hospital of Curicó, which collapsed in the earthquake. The hospital, which is located in the heavily affected region of Maule, has established temporary facilities in a nearby school and in a tent hospital. The hospital has requested a variety of materials, including surgical instruments, medical supplies, and personal hygiene items for displaced families.

FedEx, a strong supporter of Direct Relief’s emergency response work, is airlifting the critically needed aid to Chile free of charge.

Direct Relief is also sourcing needed materials from medical product donors to support partners providing medical care for the thousands of people affected by the earthquake. Dedicated corporate supporters Abbott, BD, Procter & Gamble, and Covidien, which have operations in Chile, have offered to donate products for the relief effort directly from their local warehouses. Eli Lilly has also committed $25,000 in support of the earthquake response.

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UPDATE FROM THE WEBSITE:

Aid Offered to Chile As Earthquake Response Develops
March 1, 2010

As the situation evolves since the 8.8-magnitude earthquake, Direct Relief International has been in close contact with several partner organizations to offer assistance. Those organizations include a range of governmental and nongovernmental agencies responding to the emergency, in which 708 people have been killed and more than 2 million have been left homeless:

* Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a regional office of the World Health Organization
* Fundación Educativa de Desarrollo Economico y Social (FEDES), a nonprofit organization based in Santiago that works to better the conditions of the nation's poorest hospitals and medical institutions as one of its programs
* Oficina Nacional de Emergencias e Información (ONEMI), a Chilean government agency dedicated to the prevention, organization, coordination and information relative to natural disasters
* The Chilean Consulate office in Los Angeles
* * The Archdiocese of Lima, Peru, a trusted partner in earthquake response, as proven after the 2007 Peru earthquake.
* The Hawaii Primary Care Association, which was in the tsunami-warning area immediately after the earthquake struck.

Several leading healthcare manufacturers contacted over the weekend have offered support, including Abbott, Ansell Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Covidien, Henry Schein, Johnson & Johnson and The Allergan Foundation.

Direct Relief is staying in close contact with emergency responders to provide medical aid as needed to help the people of Chile affected by the earthquake.

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Aid Offered for Chile After 8.8-Magnitude Quake Strikes Today
February 27, 2010

In response to the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning, Direct Relief International has offered assistance to Chilean authorities, emergency relief organizations, and U.S.-based partners working in Chile.

In the immediate aftermath of an emergency, search and rescue operations and damage assessments are essential priorities to save lives and organize appropriate response efforts.

As search and rescue operations and initial damage assessments are performed by Chilean authorities, Direct Relief will continue to liaise with Chilean organizations and with colleague international organizations with operations in Chile. Direct Relief is preparing to respond based on long experience to earthquakes, including the ongoing effort in Haiti, but will coordinate with local actors to ensure any response is properly targeted.