AmeriCares Continues to Send Humanitarian Aid to Bolster Healthcare System in Turkmenistan

AmeriCares Foundation
Thursday, 11 May 2000

AmeriCares, the international disaster relief agency, announced today that it would airlift approximately 64,000 pounds of medical relief supplies to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Thursday, May 11. A planeload of antibiotics, analgesics, nutritional supplements, and hospital and surgical supplies will depart Eindhoven, Netherlands on May 10, arriving in Ashgabat on Thursday, May 11. AmeriCares Project Director, Jennifer Mulik, will work with the Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan to distribute the humanitarian supplies to hospitals, clinics and other established healthcare facilities throughout the country.

Since 1995, AmeriCares has worked with the Ministry of Health in Turkmenistan to support the nation's developing healthcare system. AmeriCares has completed ten airlifts to this Central Asian country delivering a total of over $31,000,000 worth of medical supplies and vaccines.

"The health care system of Turkmenistan has declined dramatically since losing the support of the former U.S.S.R.," says Robert C. Macauley, AmeriCares Founder. "Over four million people live in this republic and primary healthcare is practically nonexistent. Medicines are in dire need. AmeriCares is determined to continue its ongoing delivery of medical supplies for as long as necessary."

AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs—and supports long-term healthcare programs—for people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. Since its inception in 1982, AmeriCares has delivered over $2.5 billion in aid to more than 130 nations worldwide.

For more information, or to contact AmeriCares Foundation, see their website at: www.americares.org