Organization Continues with Efforts to Gain Clearance for Airlift of
Medical Supplies
STAMFORD, Conn., May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An AmeriCares
emergency relief expert arrived in Myanmar earlier today to assess the
crisis situation and continue with efforts to obtain clearance for the
organization's airlift of 15 tons of essential medicines and medical
supplies to Yangon.
"AmeriCares is working closely with the World Health Organization to
help coordinate relief efforts and ensure aid is distributed to the delta
regions most affected by Cyclone Nargis. Our relief expert on the ground
has extensive experience based on our response to the 2004 tsunami
disaster," said Curt Welling, president and chief executive officer of
AmeriCares.
Reports continue to highlight the growing need for medical assistance
as health care professionals on the ground observe an increased need to
treat malaria, dengue fever, and diarrheal diseases, as well as other
medical emergencies resulting from digesting contaminated water.
AmeriCares is mobilizing additional disaster relief experts to the
region. The group's manager of emergency response has been in Bangkok all
week working to procure additional emergency relief supplies, participating
in logistics meetings with the UN and other nonprofit organizations to
coordinate relief efforts staged out of Thailand.
"AmeriCares is working around the clock to obtain additional visas into
Myanmar in order to distribute our first airlift to those most affected. We
are in the process of planning additional shipments of essential supplies,
including water purification sachets and supplement anti-malaria
medications, which are also included in our airlift currently awaiting
clearance from Myanmar to depart Schiphol airport in Amsterdam," said Curt
Welling.
To learn more about how to donate to AmeriCares, visit:
http://www.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 http://www.americares.org.
Contacts:
Peggy Atherlay
203-658-9626 (w)
203-524-2158 (c)
patherlay@americares.org
Kate Homan
202-585-2502 (w)
301-646-8849 (c)
khoman@webershandwick.com
SOURCE AmeriCares
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Related links:
http://www.americares.org
CONTACT:
Peggy Atherlay, +1-203-658-9626 - w,
+1-203-524-2158 - c, patherlay@americares.org; or Kate Homan,
+1-202-585-2502 - w, +1-301-646-8849 - c,
khoman@webershandwick.com, both for AmeriCares
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