When natural disasters strike vulnerable areas around the world, MedShare is poised to respond quickly and effectively. We are in a unique position to equip first responders in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster and partner with local institutions and government agencies to support long-term recovery and rebuild capacity.
Many areas affected by natural disasters already have difficulty reaching patients in rural locations. The limited infrastructure that was once in place no longer functions properly and creates bottlenecks for humanitarian aid delivery. MedShare is adept at overcoming those obstacles.
The Opportunity:
In the moments following a disaster, high on the priority list are food, shelter, medical care and clothing. MedShare’s Disaster Relief Program focuses on:
Communicating directly with our in-country partner hospitals and clinics to determine their needs.
Sourcing immediate needs from our product donor partners.
Coordinating and expediting shipments of critical supplies with our logistics partners.
Provisioning medical mission team volunteers as they travel to the region to provide aid.
Continuing support after the initial response to aid in rebuilding health systems in areas devastated by disaster.
Our program allows us to deliver vital medical supplies and equipment to disaster-affected areas immediately, as well as during the recovery and rebuild phases.
Did You Know? According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED):
In 2013 there were: 334 natural disasters; and 22,616 deaths in 109 countries, totaling $118 billion in damages.
Between 1994 and 2013, there were 6,873 natural disasters worldwide, which claimed 1.35 million lives or almost 68,000 lives annually.
Between 1994 and 2013, 218 million people were affected by natural disasters on average per annum during this 20-year period.
Flooding caused the majority of disasters between 1994 and 2013, accounting for 43% of all recorded events, and affecting nearly 2.5 billion people.
Storms are the most expensive type of disaster during the past two decades and the second costliest event regarding lives lost.
Earthquakes (including tsunamis) killed more people than all other types of disasters combined, claiming 750,000 lives between 1994 and 2013.
MedShare’s most active response year was 2017, when we experienced some of the most devastating disasters in recorded history. Hurricane Maria was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane in over a decade, leaving thousands dead and millions without clean water and power for months. Hurricane Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, having displaced 30,000 people across Texas, Louisiana, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Hurricane Irma caused unprecedented damage to Caribbean islands and many are stealing dealing with the aftermath of these storms today.
Since 2010, MedShare has responded to over 14 disasters across 19 countries, serving over 1.9 million patients with $15.5 million dollars in aid, thanks to the generous support of our partners and donors.
Unfortunately, it is not a question of if, but when the next disaster will strike? We are currently actively responding to Hurricane Dorian, which devastated The Bahama Islands when it made landfall as a category 5 storm on the northern Bahamian island of Abaco midday on September 1. It carried maximum sustained winds of 180 mph and a possible storm surge of 23 feet above normal tide levels. This is the second strongest Atlantic storm on record and the strongest to ever strike The Bahamas.,
The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) notes: “Hurricane Dorian affected the north-western Bahamas islands for an approximate total of 68 hours, with the southern eye-wall planted over Grand Bahama for about 30 hours. Critical infrastructure, including airports, health facilities, ports, and telecommunications structures, remained impaired due to damage and flooding.
In total MedShare has shipped just over $950,000 in medical supplies and surgical equipment since Monday, September 9, 2019 and continue or ongoing relief efforts. We have joined WSB TV-2 Convoy of Care Network and participate in the Disaster Action Alliance (DAA), which is a coalition of organizations from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in the U.S. with the goal of making a greater impact during natural disasters. This partnership provides its participants the opportunity to collaborate on ideas and resources to better respond before, during and after natural disasters occur.
Please see the links below for more information on MedShare’s current disaster relief and how you can support our efforts.
WSB TV-2 Reporting from MedShare Warehouse: https://www.wsbtv.com/video?videoId=987782015&videoVersion=1.0
Dr. Carla Haack, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Emory University’s School of Medicine, discussing teaming up with
MedShare: https://www.wsbtv.com/video?videoId=989424270&videoVersion=1.0
MedShare Donation Page Linked Shared: https://www.wsbtv.com/community/links-on-people-2-people-september-21-22/988412288
Two Years After Hurricane Maria, Atlanta Doctor Continues Offering Assistance to Puerto Rico
https://www.wabe.org/two-years-after-hurricane-maria-atlanta-doctor-continues-offering-assistance-to-puerto-rico/