AmeriCares and International Medical Corps Partner to Bring Lifesaving Aid to Darfur Refugees

AmeriCares, a nonprofit international relief organization, is sending an airlift carrying more than $1.4 million worth of lifesaving medicines and medical supplies to its partner, International Medical Corps, to help Darfur refugees in Chad.

The medical aid will help people in the refugee camps who are suffering from serious injuries, infections, diarrhea and chronic diseases, in addition to pre-natal vitamins for pregnant women. The shipment will leave AmeriCares headquarters in Stamford on Thursday, March 26 before continuing on to Chad. The airlift is part of AmeriCares and International Medical Corps’ continued commitment to relieving suffering by improving access to medicines around the world, especially in areas like Darfur and neighboring Chad.

“AmeriCares is steadfast in its resolve to do everything we can to help the innocent victims of the ongoing conflict in Darfur,” said Curt Welling, AmeriCares President & CEO, who has led the delivery of aid to the region since 2004. “I’ve witnessed the tragedy families in Chad and Darfur faced and have seen the impact humanitarian aid has on helping to restore health to the region. Protecting the world’s most vulnerable people is at the very heart of humanitarian aid and the mission of AmeriCares.”

Since 2004, AmeriCares has delivered six shipments containing more than 50 tons of critical medicines and medical supplies to Chad that have been valued at nearly $3 million. AmeriCares has partnered with International Medical Corps over the last two years to provide donated medicines for their health programs serving refugees and other vulnerable populations in Chad, Cameroon, Kenya, Liberia, Lebanon and Iraq. In Chad, International Medical Corps currently serves a population of nearly 225,000, including approximately 75,000 refugees, and provides primary care to the camps, as well as health programs for hospitals.

“We are profoundly appreciative of AmeriCares’ generous contribution to our humanitarian efforts in Chad,” says Nancy Aossey, President & CEO of International Medical Corps. “Their unwavering support allows us to go about our work of saving lives and creating healthy futures for thousands of men, women and children who otherwise would have to go without critical medicines and health care they need to survive and thrive.”

About AmeriCares:

AmeriCares is a nonprofit international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs around the world.  Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $8 billion in humanitarian aid to 137 countries.  For more information, log onto www.AmeriCares.org.

About International Medical Corps:

Since its inception 25 years ago, International Medical Corps’ mission has been to relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit our website at www.imcworldwide.org.

Official: UN relief appeal raises US$236 million for Zim

A UN international aid appeal for Zimbabwe has so far raised US$236 million or just 60 percent of the amount needed to avert a humanitarian crisis in the southern African country, the world body’s emergency relief chief said on Friday.

UN emergency relief coordinator John Holmes said the UN’s Consolidated Humanitarian Appeal for Zimbabwe was currently funded at 60 percent of the US$394 million required for the exercise.

Critically under-funded sectors include emergency agriculture and education while funding in health, water and sanitation also remained low, he said.

“This is worrying at a time when the people of Zimbabwe urgently need food, seeds, fertilisers and essential drugs, among so many other priorities,” Holmes said.

He called for greater international support for Zimbabwe where an estimated 5.1 million people are in need of food assistance following a poor harvest in the 2007/08 agricultural season.

The Zimbabwe government last month removed a two-month ban on field operations of non-governmental organisations which was imposed in June amid accusations the aid agencies were politicising food aid.

“For our part, we will continue close cooperation with the Government of Zimbabwe, regional countries and organizations as well as development partners to support humanitarian efforts and recovery initiatives,” he added. – Africa Press Agency