AmeriCares Ready to Respond to Back-to-back Disasters
AmeriCares disaster response experts are preparing to send medical
aid to survivors of deadly back-to-back disasters in Asia and the
Pacific.
AmeriCares emergency response experts were readying an emergency shipment of medicines and supplies for survivors of Typhoon Ketsana in the
Philippines yesterday when they learned an 8.0-magntiude earthquake,
followed by a powerful tsunami, struck American Samoa. Only hours
later, AmeriCares emergency response team received word of a
devastating of 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia, prompting tsunami
warnings.
AmeriCares emergency response experts are closely monitoring the situation and
are working with local aid groups in each country to assess the impact
of the disasters and meet survivors' needs. At the same time,
AmeriCares emergency response experts are reaching out to partner
organizations in Vietnam where Typhoon Ketsana left 32 dead.
AmeriCares has medicines and relief supplies on hand for devastating natural disasters like these and is ready to respond if needed. AmeriCares Vice President of Emergency Response Christoph Gorder is available to comment on the health needs of survivors after typhoons, tsunamis and other emergencies.
In the wake of natural disasters, health care facilities often struggle to
cope with a surge in demand as survivors seek care. The supply chains
that keep those facilities stocked are usually disrupted for weeks, if
not months. Medicines and medical supplies are urgently needed to treat
mounting illnesses and injuries.
The relief efforts come on the heels of recent aid shipments that will
assist typhoon survivors in the Philippines and Vietnam. AmeriCares
recently delivered $3.2 million worth of antibiotics, pain relievers
and other lifesaving medicines to the Philippines. AmeriCares also
provided enough water purification treatments to make 1.2 million
gallons of clean drinking water that will help prevent the spread of
water-borne diseases. In Vietnam, AmeriCares recently delivered $1 million of medical aid and an additional shipment containing
$400,000 worth of aid is in the works.