Emergency Supply Cache from Direct Relief to Aid Indonesian Tsunami Survivors

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Emergency supplies pre-positioned in Southeast Asia by Direct Relief have been made available to Indonesian authorities responding to survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi.

With the main airport in Palu now open for humanitarian cargo, the Indonesian government has requested that all international aid be routed through the ASEAN Coordination Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

Direct Relief signed an agreement in 2016 with the AHA Centre to pre-position and supply medicines and medical assistance to countries within the ASEAN region.

Supplies from Direct Relief are staged at the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Subang, Malaysia, and ready for deployment. Supplies include antibiotic ointment, bandages and other personal care items for 5,000 evacuees or displaced people.

Direct Relief also has offered the Indonesian disaster response agency (BNPB) its available inventory of $30 million in medicine and supplies. As medical resource needs are identified, Direct Relief will deliver medical aid to the affected regions.

Emergencies often trigger an outpouring of assistance that has the unintended effect of creating delays when time is of the essence. By coordinating with the AHA Centre, Direct Relief aims to prevent logistical bottlenecks and ease the burden on the local and national authorities responsible for ensuring imported items are appropriate for the circumstances.

Additional information on the AHA Centre's disaster response is available here:

• Information on Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP)
• ASEAN Joint Disaster Response

Direct Relief has set up a webpage allowing donations specifically to aid victims of the Indonesia earthquakes and tsunami (https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/indonesia-earthquake-2018/). Funds donated to Direct Relief for Indonesia will be used solely for relief efforts in Indonesia.

About Direct Relief

Established in 1948 with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, Direct Relief delivers lifesaving medical resources throughout the world—without regard to politics, religion, ethnic identities, or ability to pay. With operations spanning more than 70 countries and all 50 states in the U.S., Direct Relief is the only charitable nonprofit to obtain Verified Accredited Wholesale Distributor (VAWD) accreditation by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Among other distinctions, Direct Relief earns a perfect score of 100 from independent evaluator Charity Navigator, was listed among the world's most innovative nonprofits by Fast Company, and has received the CECP Directors' Award, the Drucker Prize for Nonprofit Innovation, and the President's Award from Esri for excellence in GIS mapping. For more information, please visit https://www.DirectRelief.org.

SOURCE Direct Relief

Related Links

http://www.directrelief.org