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AmeriCares Emergency Relief Being Distributed in Bangladesh
Nov. 26, 2007. Emergency medicines and medical supplies are being distributed in the remote towns in Bangladesh that suffered the most damage from Cyclone Sidr, including in the Barisal district in the southern part of the country. AmeriCares was able to deliver donated medicines to its partner in the affected areas on the same day the aid arrived in country (the first shipment on Thanksgiving Day and the second on the following Saturday).
The areas most impacted are difficult to reach and it has not been easy for many relief organizations to get their aid to the people in need.
“Our partner’s health and logistics teams expressed surprise and gratitude at the size and timely delivery of our emergency medical donation,” said Jonathan Hodgdon, AmeriCares manager of emergency response who was on the ground to oversee the arrival and distribution of our aid.
AmeriCares delivered 20 tons of emergency medicines and supplies to Bangladesh including, antibiotics, analgesics and other medicines to treat common illnesses that arise after a natural disaster like a cyclone. According to our partner, the doctors on site say that our medicines were very appropriate for the immediate needs of the people in the cyclone-affected areas. Most of the ailments the doctors have treated include injuries, fever, dysentery, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.
Cyclone Sidr Strikes
The violent storm made landfall on the coast of Bangladesh the morning of November 15 with wind speeds averaging 149 mph. Several million people have been affected by the disaster and more than 3,000 have died. Besides leveling homes, trees and utility poles, the storm wiped out roads and crops and killed livestock.
“The capital city of Dhaka is 95%, if not 100% recovered from the damage caused by the cyclone,” said Hodgdon when he first arrived. “The airport is back to normal and electricity is restored throughout the city. The same cannot be said of the coastal areas. Nearly all health clinics and hospitals survived due to their sturdy construction, but many private houses were lost.”
AmeriCares History in BangladeshIn August, AmeriCares responded to the massive flooding caused by destructive
monsoons by sending a relief team to assess the damage and delivering water purification sachets to provide clean water for the thousands affected by that crisis.
AmeriCares has been delivering aid to Bangladesh on an ongoing basis since 2002 providing primary care medicines and supplying orphanages.
More on BangladeshAmeriCares Press Release on this Emergency