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Medicines and medical supplies already in the Philippines
Stamford, CT, Sept. 28, 2009 – An AmeriCares shipment of medicines and supplies arrived just in time to help survivors of Typhoon Ketsana, which drenched the Philippines this weekend with 16 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period.
The typhoon, which has killed at least 140 people and injured countless others, is the country’s worst disaster in over 40 years. Massive flooding in and around the capital city of Manila has left 150,000 homeless and has affected 450,000 men, women and children. Response efforts have been difficult and many remain stranded on rooftops.
The shipment, which arrived just days ago, included $3.2 million worth of medical aid including antibiotics, pain killers, fever reducers and other lifesaving medications that can be used to treat survivors with injuries or water-borne diseases.
“As floodwaters begin to recede and search and rescue operations are completed, the immediate health concerns will be illnesses such as cholera, dysentery and other potentially deadly water-borne diseases,” said Dr. Frank Bia, AmeriCares medical director. “Many of the medicines and supplies recently delivered can be used to combat such anticipated disease outbreaks.”
AmeriCares is working with local partners in the Philippines to assess the needs of health care facilities, and AmeriCares stands ready to deliver additional medical assistance. AmeriCares emergency response experts will continue to monitor the storm as it heads toward Vietnam.
AmeriCares provides medical aid for hospitals, clinics and homes for children and the elderly throughout the Philippines, as well as medical volunteer teams traveling to the country to provide free medical care. Since 1985, AmeriCares has delivered over $178 million worth of medical and humanitarian aid to the Philippines.
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About AmeriCaresAmeriCares is a nonprofit international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world. Since it was established in 1979, AmeriCares has distributed more than $12 billion in humanitarian aid to 142 countries. For more information, log onto www.AmeriCares.org.