Nepal Earthquake Relief Report

Transcription

1 Nepal Earthquake Relief Report By: MedShare International, Inc. June 30, Clifton Springs Rd. Decatur GA

2 On April 25, 2015, Nepal suffered a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Over 8,000 people lost their lives; thousands more were injured, and hundreds of thousands were displaced after their homes were destroyed. Nepal s already fragile infrastructure, including its tiny international airport, was damaged by the earthquake, making it harder for groups like MedShare to deliver aid. MedShare had partnered with organizations based there in the past, but each container shipped was a huge endeavor. In the best of times, Nepal is a challenging country to navigate. As a landlocked, mountainous country, Nepal manages everything from summer monsoons to severe poverty. A disaster of this magnitude only served to exacerbate all of these challenges. After the initial earthquake, MedShare activated its emergency response protocol to deliver aid to the people of Nepal. MedShare reached out to its donors, medical manufacturing partners for essential medical supplies and issued an urgent appeal to its 19,000 volunteers for assistance. We quickly organized two air shipments to get medical supplies on the ground and put to use. These two shipments contained 1,200 boxes of supplies, including bandages, gloves, masks, orthopedic products and an autoclave for sterilization.

3 The majority of humanitarian organizations participating in the Nepal response faced severe issues in bringing relief items into the country. Even organizations with longstanding government relationships and letters of authorization from the relevant ministries saw their cargo blocked at the border or stuck in customs. For goods that were not pre-approved, duties, VAT, and other fees were quoted as being from 20% to 30% of the shipment s value. The cost to humanitarian organizations regarding canceled charter flights, demurrage and detention rates at the border, and other expenses was substantial. MedShare collaborated with many partners in the region to overcome these challenges and successfully delivered eight shipments of critical medical supplies over the past year. These shipments included six airlifts and two forty-foot ocean containers to targeted healthcare facilities and NGOs. They have collectively contained over 56,000 pounds of vital medical supplies and equipment conservatively valued at $612,850. The following table lists the organizations MedShare has supported over the past year. Healthcare Facility/NGO Nepal Orthopedic Hospital Rural Community Development Service Council (shipment 1) Development of Children & Women Center (shipment 1) Oda Foundation Rural Community Development Service Council (shipment 2) Phul Kumari Mahato Memorial Hospital Possible / Nyaya Health Nepal Development of Children & Women Center (shipment 2) Totals Value of Donated Product $59, $60, $53, $106, $32, $97, $150, $51, $612, Weight (Lbs.) of Donated Product 5, , , , , , , , ,114.66

4 In addition to the invaluable support from HCA, MedShare received product donations from companies like Tronex International. In total, Tronex donated 60 pallets of assorted medical supplies, which equaled 27,186 pounds of product. This donation comprised nearly 77% of all product donations MedShare received specifically for Nepal disaster relief. Tronex gloves and masks have been protecting healthcare workers, serving patients, and improving the delivery of healthcare in Nepal since the onset of this crisis. International Medical Relief, one of the 1 st medical mission teams supported by MedShare after the earthquake These products continue to make a difference in lives of Nepalese people as they rebuild their healthcare infrastructure. MedShare recently received a letter from the Executive Director of The Oda Foundation. The Oda Foundation works with underserved communities to provide high-quality, low-cost healthcare and education in rural Nepal. The story of how our supplies got to them is one that touches us all and is a constant reminder of the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles. Although MedShare had been having more success with air shipments, the Oda Foundation believed an ocean container of supplies and equipment would most benefit their medical clinic, and provide support to the broader region. For that to happen, a 40-foot ocean container traveled from the Port of Savannah, Georgia to the Port of Kolkata, India. Once it cleared customs in India (no small feat in itself), the container began a 20-hour journey by a tractor-trailer along almost the entire southern border of Nepal to reach a border crossing called Nepalgunj. Traversing the mountain roads on the way to Kalikot MedShare s operation s team felt this longer route was necessary to avoid the

5 civil unrest along the main border crossing from India to Nepal. Once at the Nepalgunj border crossing, the container was moved across the border to a city called Surkhet, the last major city before the roads become extremely challenging. From there, the container had to be unloaded and reloaded onto smaller trucks to traverse the mountainous roadways. The smaller trucks then drove on a narrow road to the town of Kalikot, where teams of volunteers hiked the rest of the way, carrying 1,000 boxes of supplies and medical equipment to the project site. We have enclosed the thank you letter we received from John Christopher, Executive Director of the Oda Foundation. The supplies and equipment they received helped nearly 17,000 patients and will continue to help more in need. Not long after the earthquake struck, and MedShare sent its first air shipment, we received an from Dr. Saju Pradhan, Medical Director at Nepal Orthopedic Hospital. Dr. Pradhan reminded us that quick action is not a luxury when it comes to saving lives. Dr. Pradhan wrote The supplies from MedShare are a Godsend. We were so low on our reserves, and MedShare s supplies are the largest donation we ve received thus far. We have started to use them immediately! MedShare extends its deepest gratitude to all who supported this work. Your support of MedShare s Disaster Relief Program has been felt around the world, and you deserve to share our pride in the work that has been and continues to be, accomplished in Nepal. It is your generosity that made this work possible and continues to enable MedShare to provide critical medical supplies to those in need around the world. Sincerely, Charles Redding CEO & President