International Medical Corps Receives $1.9 Million Tsunami Donation from Direct Relief International

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2005--

California's Leading Non-Profit Groups Coordinate to Provide Emergency Medical Aid to Tsunami Victims

“We are gratified that Direct Relief International is so wholeheartedly supporting our efforts in South Asia. Their generous donation helps us immediately reach many more vulnerable communities that are beyond the reach of most aid groups”

International Medical Corps (www.imcworldwide.org) has received a donation valued at $1.9 million from Direct Relief International (www.directrelief.org), Santa Barbara, CA. $720,000 in cash is earmarked for additional IMC mobile medical clinics in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The balance of the donation consists of 8 tons of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment valued $1.2 million, wholesale, for IMC's Indonesia Tsunami relief programs.

The 28 pallets of supplies include antibiotics, vitamins, analgesics, casting material, IVs, surgical instruments, bandages, tape, gauze, gloves, autoclaves, stethoscopes and blood pressure units.

IMC is presently operating mobile clinics in and around Indonesia's Banda Aceh and Sri Lanka's Trincomalee regions. In Indonesia, DRI's cash donation will add 10 mobile clinics, plus two boats. It adds seven in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, which is heavily inhabited by Tamil, Singhalese and Muslim populations.

According to International Medical Corps, there is still insufficient reach of clinical services to remote villages and displaced communities affected by the Tsunami. In both Indonesia and Sri Lanka, more than 1.5 million persons have been displaced from their homes. Many are now reluctant to stay in camps where medical services can be easily concentrated. This is due to both concerns over title to the land on which their homes stood as well as their anxiousness to restart their lives. Many more are in remote areas still isolated from all assistance.

"We are gratified that Direct Relief International is so wholeheartedly supporting our efforts in South Asia. Their generous donation helps us immediately reach many more vulnerable communities that are beyond the reach of most aid groups," said Nancy Aossey, International Medical Corps' president and CEO. "I should clarify that there is still much more financial support needed. We are committed to being in these regions over the long term to help restore the health systems and livelihoods that have been lost."

Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief International CEO and president, said, "Direct Relief has been a long-time partner of International Medical Corps, providing equipment and supplies to its excellent medical programs throughout the world. In this instance, we also are able to provide an emergency cash grant for vehicles so IMC's medical personnel can serve people who are isolated and need help now and for the foreseeable future. Our two organizations have different strengths and do different things related to health services, but we share the same goal of making sure people affected by the tsunami get the help they need."

International Medical Corps, based in Santa Monica, CA, is a global humanitarian non-profit organization operating in 21 countries. It has operated in Indonesia since 2000 and was among the first to respond to the devastation in Banda Aceh.