Additional Direct Relief International Medical Aid To Afghanistan

Direct Relief International
Monday, 26 November 2001

Direct Relief International has now completed nine shipments of medical supplies to help the refugee relief effort along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.

The fifth shipment of Direct Relief International "assistance" to the Afghanistan refugees in Pakistan consisted of over 3,000 new blankets and 3,000 personal care kits valued at over $52K. It traveled via ocean, arriving in Pakistan mid-December. The items will be distributed in the new refugee camps north of Peshawar by Emergency Relief & Services for Afghans which is an Afghani run organization founded in 1987.

The 6th Direct Relief International shipment to Pakistan is being hand-carried by Tahmeena Faryal, Foreign Affairs Representative for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). The shipment contains $36,000 worth of antibiotics to be used by their mobile medical teams.

The 8th Direct Relief International shipment left for Pakistan and will be traveling via air to Peshawar, Pakistan. In partnership with Emergency Relief & Services for Afghans, the shipment will be distributed to the Hayatabad Hospital and other health care providers working with the refugees. This donation of one Johnson & Johnson Disaster module, consists of items such as analgesics, adult and childrens vitamins, oral rehydration salts, bandages, stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs.

Our 9th shipment shipment consists of 1,000 new wool blankets to be distributed by the Aryen Medical Clinic in Peshawar. The Aryen Medical Clinic is situated in the middle of four refugee camps and provides services to approximately 300 refugees a day.

"Direct Relief International, along with many other relief and humanitarian assistance organizations, is aware that many people in Afghanistan have experienced great hardship under the Taliban's rule. Our assistance continues to be directed to the innocent people who have been placed in extremely vulnerable circumstances," said Thomas Tighe, President of Direct Relief International.

Founded in 1948, Direct Relief International is a non-profit, non-sectarian medical relief organization based in Santa Barbara, California. For over 50 years, Direct Relief has provided medical support with new and used medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and supplies to over 3,000 charitable health facilities worldwide. In 2000 alone, Direct Relief provided over $67 million worth of vitally needed medical items to 53 countries around the world. Direct Relief International has created a fund whereby 100% of money raised will go directly to survivors and families affected by the terrorist attacks in the U.S.

For more information, or to contact Direct Relief International, see their website at: www.directrelief.org