AmeriCares Continues its Relief Efforts in North Korea with a Fourth Airlift

AmeriCares Foundation
Tuesday, 8 August 2000

13,000 pounds of pediatric medicines, antibiotics, and infant formula to be delivered to orphanages, hospitals and clinics

AmeriCares, the international and national disaster relief organization, announced today that it will be distributing an additional 13,000 pounds of pediatric medicines, antibiotics and infant formula to orphanages, hospitals and clinics in North Korea, The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). Additional medical needs will be assessed as the hospitals, clinics and first aid centers in North Korea are poorly equipped to combat serious health problems.

Five years of alternating floods and droughts causing severe food shortages and famine have proved crippling to North Koreans. Most survive on only one bowl of rice a day and diseases associated with malnutrition are rampant. The devastating effects of years of malnutrition can be seen in many North Korean children who now have serious illnesses and developmental disabilities.

"The orphanages are ill-equipped and hospitals are without even the most basic medicines and equipment," said Rachel Granger, Project Director for AmeriCares. "AmeriCares vows to continue to help support their healthcare system with medicines and supplements to help combat malnutrition-related diseases."

In September of 1997 AmeriCares launched its first airlift to North Korea, delivering over 59,000 pounds of relief supplies to hospitals and clinics in the North P'yongyang Province. This airlift marked the first US civilian plane to land in North Korea since 1949. Three months later, a second airlift landed, delivering 75,000 pounds of antibiotics, medicines, medical supplies and nutritional supplements with a value of over $5.6 million. A third airlift was conducted in May 1998, bringing 72,000 pounds of supplies to the area. In February of 1999, AmeriCares shipped 120 tons of milk powder via sea container to the DPRK, which was distributed to nursery schools, kindergartens and orphanages in famine-affected areas.

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