Published:
AmeriCares Delivers Life-Saving Aid to Myanmar
STAMFORD, Conn., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The government ofMyanmar today
cleared for entry a life-saving shipment of medicines and medical supplies
airlifted toYangon by AmeriCares - a nonprofit international aid
organization. The relief package will be distributed in partnership with
International Organization for Migration (IOM), an organization that helps
ensure the orderly and humane management of migration and provides practical
solutions to migration problems faced by refugees and internally displaced
people, including health care services.
IOM will be operating ten mobile clinics serving the victims of the
cyclone in their communities, including the Irrawaddy delta region.
AmeriCares medicines and supplies will enable not only IOM to restore health
and save lives throughoutMyanmar, but will provide essential medicines to
other NGO's serving the ravaged areas.
"With each passing day, the health care crisis for those displaced by
Cyclone Nargis grows greater," says Curt Welling, president and chief
executive officer of AmeriCares. "We anticipate this airlift will be the
first of many toMyanmar and are pleased to partner with IOM, an organization
with extensive experience providing direct medical care to victims of natural
disasters and withinMyanmar itself."
The shipment, which arrived fromAmsterdam, contains 15 tons of medicines
such as antibiotics, analgesics, ointments and multivitamins as well as
medical equipment and supplies to treat the immediate needs of those injured
and to help prevent the anticipated spread of illness and disease throughout
the region. The medicines and supplies will allow healthcare workers in
Myanmar to treat injuries and illnesses associated with cyclones including,
lacerations, trauma, puncture wounds, water-borne diseases, diarrheal
diseases, malaria and help prevent the outbreak of cholera. This airlift will
be the first of many deliveries AmeriCares will make to help the victims of
the cyclone.
"We're hearing from our colleagues on the ground that clean water and
emergency medicines and medical supplies are desperately needed to prevent
further death and widespread diseases," says Welling. "AmeriCares shipment
contains the supplies urgently needed to help ease suffering and restore
health to the victims of Cyclone Nargis."
To learn more about AmeriCares and to find out how to support the relief
effort inMyanmar, visit americares.org.
About AmeriCares
AmeriCares is a private, 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 1982,
AmeriCares has distributed more than $7.5 billion in humanitarian aid to 137
countries. For more information, visit www.americares.org.
Media contacts:
Peggy Atherlay
203-658-9626
patherlay@americares.org
Kate Homan
202-585-2502
khoman@webershandwick.com
SOURCE AmeriCares
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