Direct Relief Provides More Than 650 Tons of Medical Aid to Ukrainians Since War's Start

$315 Million in Medicine and Medical Supplies, $14.7 Million in Direct Financial Assistance Provided in First Three Months of War

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the three months since Russian forces began their invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Direct Relief has been one of the largest charitable providers of medical aid to Ukraine, delivering more than 650 tons (1.3 million pounds) of medicines and supplies with a wholesale value of more than $315 million.

The medical aid includes 101 million defined daily doses of medicine, including antibiotics, insulin, mental health medicines, cancer treatments, chemical weapons antidotes, COVID-19 treatment and more.

Direct Relief has also provided over $14.7 million in direct financial assistance to other organizations in the region. The cash assistance has included direct payments for Ukrainian refugees in Poland to cover prescription medication copays, as well as operating funds for health facilities providing care in Ukraine.

"Direct Relief's three-month report on humanitarian assistance to Ukraine reflects the generosity of an extensive private coalition of individuals and businesses globally," said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe.

As the war continues, Direct Relief is approaching the response along two parallel tracks – supporting people experiencing the conflict inside Ukraine, and for who have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries.

Direct Relief last week published a report detailing the medicine, supplies and financial assistance donated, as well as a summary of financial contributions received from individuals, corporations and others.

As of May 24, Direct Relief has received 117,611 Ukraine-designated financial contributions totaling $79,624,504 from individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations located in 79 countries (including Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Belarus as well as all U.S. states and territories). The contributions came from 91,822 donors, some of which were aggregations of donations from countless individuals. For example, millions of individuals who play Fortnite contributed to these efforts through in-game purchases and subscriptions, which were aggregated and donated to Direct Relief by Epic Games.

Consistent with Direct Relief's Donation Policies, 100 percent of funds received for specific emergency situations are devoted entirely to those situations, and none of these funds are used for fundraising.

Thus far, of the total Ukraine-designated cash contributions received to date, Direct Relief has expended or committed $21.1 million to improve the health and lives of people affected by the war. Among the uses of funds are $14.7 million in financial assistance to organizations supporting Ukrainians and Ukrainian refugees (including $10 million for prescription medication costs for refugees in Poland) and $2.4 million on procurement of oxygen concentrators, emergency medic packs, and other supplies.

When the war erupted, Direct Relief quickly established contact with the Ministries of Health of Moldova, Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia, as well as nonprofits in these countries, in order to provide support for the health-related needs of refugee populations.

Direct Relief expects it will take years for Ukraine's health systems and its people to recover from the war's destruction, and the organization is planning for a multi-year response.

"Direct Relief will continue to provide assistance to the Ukrainian people, both those who remain in Ukraine as well as those who have fled the country and may be unable to return for years to come," Tighe said.

Corporate Support

Direct Relief's ability to furnish a large portion of the extensive medical material support without the expenditure of donor funds was due to the in-kind donations from healthcare manufacturers and distributors, many of which Direct Relief works with on an ongoing basis.

Healthcare company donors responded expansively to requests for their participation. Included among them are 3M, Abbott, AbbVie, Accord Healthcare, Ajanta Pharma, Alvogen, Amgen, Apotex, AstraZeneca, Baxter International, Bayer, Becton Dickerson, Boehringer Ingelheim Cares, Covidien, Eli Lilly & Company, GSK, Hikma, ICU Medical, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, LifeScan, McKesson Medical-Surgical, Medtronic, Merck & Co., Merck KGaA, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Unilever, and Viatris.

In addition, the State of California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) donated seven Field Hospital Content Kits. Each kit contains the equipment needed to set up a 50-bed field hospital, and the hospitals have been deployed to high conflict areas.

Information Assistance

In addition to the provision of medical material and financial aid in response to the crisis, Direct Relief has been a critical supplier of information. Within Ukraine, Direct Relief assisted with crowdsource data collection on the needs of internally displaced persons, including their origins and destinations, and access to key services and goods including health care, food, water, shelter, and livelihoods.

At the same time, Direct Relief has also collected data on the needs and goods availability of over 950 private pharmacies throughout Ukraine over the past 2.5 months, including many located in areas of significant conflict. The pharmacy data has been incorporated into the cross-validation of MOH needs lists. Important insights were shared with first responders, healthcare partners, and Ukrainian health officials, as well as with United Nations agencies and international assistance organizations to help them determine how to best prioritize and deploy their respective resources. Key analysis sharing partners include the World Bank, UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM, the Health Cluster, Mercy Corps, and others.

SOURCE Direct Relief