AmeriCares Delivering $1.5 Million in Aid for Libya Crisis

USA - English

• USA - English

Medicines and medical supplies to arrive this week

STAMFORD, Conn., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the political crisis in Libya escalating, AmeriCares is delivering $1.5 million worth of medical aid for civilians fleeing the war-torn country.

AmeriCares is sending nearly 11,000 pounds of critically needed medical aid from our Stamford, Conn., and Amsterdam warehouses including pain relievers, antibiotics, surgical supplies, burn care products, cardiovascular medicines, wound care supplies and anesthesia medicines. The aid is expected to arrive in Cairo on Thursday where it will be trucked to the Libyan border and put into the hands of medical professionals treating innocent civilians fleeing the violence.

"AmeriCares medical aid will be used to treat Libyan families crossing the border into Egypt, as well as migrant workers stranded at the border waiting to return to their home countries," said AmeriCares Vice President of Emergency Response Ella Gudwin. "Our emergency response experts will continue to monitor the situation and will send additional medical aid as needed."

AmeriCares first aid delivery for the crisis – an emergency air shipment containing enough antibiotics, pain relievers, wound care supplies, chronic care medicines and basic medical supplies to treat 15,000 patients – arrived in Cairo on March 3.

AmeriCares has provided medical relief and humanitarian assistance to millions affected by natural disasters and man-made crises since 1982.  Disaster relief and emergency medical supplies are strategically stocked and positioned to help people in crisis, wherever they are, whenever they need it.

About AmeriCares:

AmeriCares is a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in need around the world and across the United States. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $10 billion in humanitarian aid to 147 countries.  For more information, visit www.AmeriCares.org.

CONTACT:
Donna Porstner: 203-658-9579
[email protected]

SOURCE AmeriCares