CGI Members Airlift 100 Tons of Medical Supplies to Fight Ebola from JFK to West Africa
Direct Relief, Last Mile Health Join Clinton Health Access Initiative and Other Groups to Distribute Medical Supplies and Protective Equipment
NEW YORK – Ahead of the 10th Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, Direct Relief and several U.S. aid organizations have made a Commitment to Action to airlift 100 tons of medical supplies to West Africa to combat the Ebola outbreak in the region. The airlift, the largest single emergency shipment from the U.S. to West Africa to date, contains personal protective equipment and medical supplies valued at $6 million wholesale.
The charter left for Sierra Leone and Liberia on Saturday afternoon. Representatives from CGI and Direct Relief were joined by philanthropists and representatives from the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“This airlift, organized by several CGI members and led by Direct Relief, truly exemplifies the spirit of the Clinton Global Initiative – to see a pressing issue in the world, and work together to commit to bringing their specific resources and specialties to bear on the problem,” said Bob Harrison, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative. “I also want to recognize the work of the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Partners in Health in coordinating our response on the ground in Africa. I'm looking forward to seeing the additional work and commitments at our 10th CGI Annual Meeting this week, that will provide immediate and long-term assistance on the ground in West Africa to fight the Ebola Outbreak.”
The airlift contains 100 tons of medical supplies and equipment, including:
- 2.8 million surgical and exam gloves
- 170,000 coverall gowns
- 120,000 masks
- 40,000 liters of pre-mixed oral rehydration solution
- 9.8 million defined daily doses of essential medications
Through CGI, Direct Health organized this airlift with several partners, including Last Mile Health, Wellbody Alliance, and Africare. Partners on the ground, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) will team up with the respective Ministries of Health to deploy an effective distribution channel to get supplies to clinics, health facilities, and hospitals in regions heavily affected by the outbreak.
In addition, more supplies will be secured in other locations as precautionary and emergency preparedness measures. Beyond the chartered airlift, Direct Relief will continue to mobilize medical resources into West Africa to combat the spread of Ebola.
“We must do all we can to reduce further the human tragedy caused by this deadly outbreak and help communities avoid an even deeper setback than has occurred already,” said Thomas Tighe, CEO of Direct Relief. “Direct Relief mobilized this airlift in recognition that the failure to act now will make the crisis all the more severe.”
Liberia and Sierra Leone are currently facing the worst Ebola outbreak in history and the first outbreak of its kind in West Africa. As of September 6, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported more than 4,293 confirmed cases and 2,296 deaths throughout West Africa. WHO also stated that the outbreak could infect more than 20,000 people.
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About Direct Relief
Direct Relief is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides medical assistance to people around the world who have been affected by poverty, natural disasters, and civil unrest. Thanks to generous material and financial contributions from individuals, pharmaceutical companies, and medical equipment manufacturers, Direct Relief can work with healthcare professionals and organizations on the ground and equip them with the essential medical supplies and equipment that they need to help people recover from a disaster.