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THIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUESTTHIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUEST

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SUBVERTING THE #1CAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSECAUSE

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W W W . D I R E C T R E L I E F . O R G

THINGS THAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARETHAT ARE

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1/ Increasing AccessIncreasing AccessIncreasing Access2/ Primary CarePrimary CarePrimary CarePrimary CarePrimary CarePrimary CarePrimary Care3/ Focus on Moms & KidsFocus on Moms & KidsFocus on Moms & KidsFocus on Moms & KidsFocus on Moms & Kids4/ HIV Prevention & TestingHIV Prevention & TestingHIV Prevention & TestingHIV Prevention & TestingHIV Prevention & Testing5/ Basic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic CareBasic Training for Basic Care

DR.MIKE MARKS WILL WILL NOWNOWNOWNOWNOW take take take take your your your your QUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONSQUESTIONS P / 4

SWINE FLU SPECIAL REPORT P / 6

SMARTER CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY

PREPPREPPREPPREP P / 7

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In Niger, the Nomad Foundation has brought health care to nomadic populations by establishing a medical center on a well-traveled migratory route. A Nigerien woman has a one in seven lifetime risk of dying in childbirth—the worst reported ratio in the world. At and near the health center, the Tuareg and Wodaabe peoples of the isolated Sahel and Sahara regions can now access essential medicines, patient services, clean water, food, education, and skills training—without compromising their traditional herding cultures. The U.S.-based nonprofi t TurtleWill works with nomads in Niger, Mali, and Ethiopia—populations particularly affl icted by malaria, respiratory infections, and parasites—by conducting annual medical camps along migratory routes, providing primary care to over 20,000 people since 2004.

b In Southwestern India, the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS)

operates a cutting-edge telemedicine van to bring care to the many people who are too remote, sick, or poor to get to a hospital. Direct Relief funded the van and provides the medical material for everything from its ongoing health clinics in nearby villages, to its broad excursions to the sites of natural disasters and health emergencies where there is little other access to care. The van has brought state-of-the-art care to more than 30,000 people using live-video conferencing and real-time transmission of medical information to expert medical providers at AIMS hospital. Earlier this year, a second Direct Relief-funded telemedicine van was set up with another specialty hospital in South India. In India’s southeastern port-city of Chennai, Ramakrishna Math runs a Direct Relief-sponsored nurse assistant training program that has graduated 1,200 nurse assistants in four years to work in regions suffering from a shortage of professional medical personnel. The graduates have a 100 percent employment rate, bringing needed fi nancial help to the young women, their families, and the villages they come from.

THE SOLUTIONS ISSUE / 5 THINGS WORKING NOW IN HEALTH CARE

1/ Increasing Access

To learn more about our partners’ innovative approaches to broadening access to care, visit www.D IRECTREL I E F . ORG

b

TRANSPORTATION Direct Relief purchased vans to shuttle patients

to U.S. Surgeon General Nominee Dr. Regina Benjamin’s clinic in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and Common Ground Clinic’s outreach program for Latino workers in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. In Los Angeles, multiple providers run mobile clinics to homeless shelters and gathering sites.

TELEMEDICINE Direct Relief and FedEx established video conferencing for clinic associations and their members in California, and Venice Family Clinic—the largest free clinic in the U.S.—transmits images of retinal screenings to ophthalmologists at UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute for interpretation.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE Direct Relief’s Hurricane Prep Pack Program provides easy access to medicines and continuity

of care in emergencies. This year, 25 packs were deployed to clinic partners in fi ve Gulf States and Puerto Rico. Each pack contains medical supplies to treat 100 patients for three to fi ve days.

Direct Relief USA supports the creative efforts of community-based clinics

and health centers expanding access for millions of uninsured and working-poor

Americans…

What’s Working Now.Healthcare challenges are daunting. They are easy to see in developing countries and being vigorously debated in the U.S. The elusive trifecta solution involves: ACCESS, QUALITY, and AFFORDABILITY. Working with great partners in all 50 states and in 60 countries, we get to see great examples of each at Direct Relief.

For more on the For more on the For more on the Elusive Formula Elusive Formula Elusive Formula see P/4

Many factors limit people’s access to care. Scarcity of resources—human, fi nancial, technological, and medical material—and limited access to education and physical proximity to care are among the many challenges. Consider the Liberian family in the Temor Cheifdom of Grand Bassa County who walk ten hours to cross a river in a dugout canoe to get to the nearest hospital in Kakata. Or the Quechuan man in Cochabamba, Bolivia, unaware that his advancing blindness is a result of

diabetes. Or the expectant Latino mother in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, anxious for prenatal care, but having diffi culty understanding her options because of language barriers. The healthcare providers Direct Relief supports in the U.S. and abroad are constantly looking for pragmatic, innovative ways to bridge such obstacles to access. Be it through mobile clinics, telemedicine, or medical training, Direct Relief has worked, for over 60 years and in over 60 countries, to infuse essential medical resources into in-country systems so more people can receive better quality care.

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THE SOLUTIONS ISSUE / 5 THINGS WORKING NOW IN HEALTH CARE

4 WWW.DIRECTRELIEF.ORG FALL 2009 THIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUEST

others are the cornerstones of families, communities,economies, and societies worldwide. That’s why it’s staggering that the World Health Organization estimates

that a woman dies each minute from complications during pregnancy and childbirth—more than 500,000 each year

worldwide. Pregnancy is often a time of joy and trepidation, but in developing countries, pregnancy is a life-threatening condition, as pregnancy and childbirth are the second-leading cause of death among women of reproductive age.

In 2007, more than nine million children died worldwide under the age of fi ve from largely preventable causes—illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria, and indirect causes including confl ict and HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition, poor hygiene, and lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation contributed to more than half of these deaths. Nearly one-third of children in the developing world are chronically malnourished. Broadening access to care and maintaining good nutritional status are integral to improving child survival. Many of the risks for pregnant women and children in developing countries are related to children in developing countries are related to general conditions of poverty, nutrition, and general conditions of poverty, nutrition, and severely limited health resources and access that severely limited health resources and access that

affect everyone. Direct Relief ’s core activities have long been aimed affect everyone. Direct Relief ’s core activities have long been aimed at expanding the quality, availability, and access to health services at expanding the quality, availability, and access to health services for all people. But a principal focus of this effort is on maternal and for all people. But a principal focus of this effort is on maternal and for all people. But a principal focus of this effort is on maternal and child health and, more specifi cally, interventions that directly address child health and, more specifi cally, interventions that directly address child health and, more specifi cally, interventions that directly address the specifi c threats to women during pregnancy through childbirth. the specifi c threats to women during pregnancy through childbirth. the specifi c threats to women during pregnancy through childbirth. These interventions include expanding access to care, ensuring These interventions include expanding access to care, ensuring These interventions include expanding access to care, ensuring safe deliveries through midwife training and kits, addressing safe deliveries through midwife training and kits, addressing complications through emergency obstetric care, restoring health through obstetric fi stula repair, and preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

3/ Focus on Moms & Kids

BONKWASO BONKWASO OUTREACH OUTREACH CLINIC, CLINIC, GHANAGHANA

In Sub-Saharan Africa, only 40% of women are attended by a health professional during childbirth. Direct Relief has financed and equipped 4 surgical theaters costing up to $50,000 each in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe to enable safe C-section deliveries and other surgeries

READ MORE about these initiatives and watch video of the women whose health has been restored through obstetric fi stula repair in Africa

DIRECTRELIEF.ORG

Every Day is Mother’s DayHelp us ensure safe pregnancy and delivery—donate online

and create a tribute page for your mom DIRECTRELIEF.ORG

Every 48 seconds, a child is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. This is a profound human tragedy, the primary cause of which is preventable. Without

medical intervention, the chance that a mother will pass along the virus to her child during birth is as high as 30 percent, but with proper testing and therapy, this chance can be nearly eliminated. Stating the staggering numbers of HIV or any other health crises does not in itself tell us what to do about it. A vaccine may someday protect humans against this and other deadly viruses, and aggressive education and prevention campaigns are essential. Also essential is to focus resources on where this infectious disease exists to save those who have contracted it and can transmit it and those who are most likely to contract it. As Paul Farmer says, with HIV

The Elusive Formula

THE TRIFECTA FOR IMPROVED HEALTH

CARE DELIVERY

Access Quality Affordability

Prevention is always key, but when care

is needed, it must be accesible, of high quality,

and affordable.

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Q What are kids dying of in Africa? A The most common causes of death in children are not tropical diseases but rather diarrheal illnesses and chest infections—things kids get everywhere. Antibiotics and clean water, if they were universally available, could prevent most of these deaths; unfortunately they are not.

Q How dangerous is pregnancy and childbirth in the developing world? A Let me put it this way: Every day, three jumbo jets full of pregnant women crashes, killing every last passenger, and it doesn’t get on the news.

Q Can we beat AIDS?A History has shown that we can overcome anything viral, like smallpox or polio, by severing the connection between virus and host. So yes, someday AIDS will be eradicated.

Give it to us straight, Doc…

Mike Marks, M.D., Direct Relief’s International Medical Advisor

“Every day, three “Every day, three “Every day, three jumbo jets full of jumbo jets full of jumbo jets full of pregnant women pregnant women pregnant women crashes...and it crashes...and it crashes...and it doesn’t get on doesn’t get on doesn’t get on the news.”the news.”the news.”

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Basic Training for Basic Care

AN AFGAN INSTITUTE

OF LEARNING NURSE-

MIDWIFE TRAINING

COURSE

“In the next five years Southern Sudan will need 1,500 clinical officers—a tenfold increase of the current production of NHTI, the only clinical officer training school. With the generous support of Direct Relief we will double the production of NHTI in the next two years.” – Dr. Peter Ngatia, AMREF

Director of Capacity of Building and Human Resources for Health Development

4/ and other infectious diseases “treatment is prevention.” And deciding who to treat requires knowing who is sick. In 2007, Direct Relief began supporting Abbott’s efforts to distribute free, HIV rapid test kits. Sixty-nine developing countries are eligible for the program, including all countries in Africa, where the burden of HIV is heaviest. Direct Relief and Abbott are working to eliminate barriers to the testing of pregnant women for HIV in countries where mothers and their children face the greatest threat. The Abbott-donated Determine® test is quick—results take 15 minutes—and requires no electricity or water, making it ideal for areas that may lack steady access to either resource. If a pregnant woman tests positive for HIV, the healthcare provider can take the necessary steps to help prevent the baby from being infected with the virus. Between 2002 and 2008, Abbott donated more than 11.2 million rapid HIV tests to prevention programs throughout the developing world. Through 2008, more than 9.5 million pregnant women have been tested and 980,000 of those women tested positive for HIV. Rapid tests have also have been provided for more than two million spouses and children of pregnant women who have tested positive. In many developing countries, Abbott and Direct Relief work closely with ministries of health and other major healthcare networks running prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs to distribute the test kits. The Rwandan Ministry of Health, one of the fi rst to subscribe to the program, has tested more than 860,000 pregnant women. In Kenya, where UNAIDS estimates 8.3 percent of adult females are HIV-positive and 117,000 children under the age of 14 are infected, Direct Relief partner Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation has tested 350,000 expectant mothers, more than 15,000 of whom were HIV-positive.

5/

AMRE

FDefining the Big ProblemsHIV Prevention and Testing

FACT:In Afghanistan, In Afghanistan, In Afghanistan, In Afghanistan,

only 14% only 14% of births of births of births are attended attended attended by a skilled healthcare worker.by a skilled healthcare worker.by a skilled healthcare worker.by a skilled healthcare worker.

Scarce resources, high demand, and the high costs of training specialists create huge obstacles to people seeking care. These pressures are magnifi ed by economic forces that inspire the “brain drain” (or “human capital fl ight”) of trained health professionals to places where their skills

are better compensated. The poorest parts of the world have long been compromised by the fl ight of health professionals in whom scarce training has been invested. But some groups, like the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) are fi lling these voids by analyzing what can be done by paraprofessionals, technicians, community-based educators, and other levels of health workers—and then developing training to enable more basic essential care to be provided at lower costs, allowing for the more effi cient use of scarce high-level skills. In many countries, non-physician

clinical offi cers conduct basic surgical procedures in the absence of a doctor. The need for trained health workers in Southern Sudan is great: Almost 20 years of war has led most of the surviving health professionals to fl ee the country. It is estimated that there is only one doctor for every 220,000 people. Direct Relief joined with AMREF to address Southern Sudan’s priority healthcare infrastructure needs. This year, Direct Relief committed $192,000 to sponsor 30 clinical offi cer students at the National Health Training Institute (NHTI) in Maridi. Students began their coursework in January 2008. The program is open to Sudanese nationals who have met preliminary health worker qualifi cations. Students from different ethnic groups and remote areas are actively recruited for the program, which pays for tuition, room and board, insurance, a personal stipend, and transportation. After completing the three-year course, graduates intern for a year at one of seven hospitals, and are then required to work in their home communities for three years. To provide better maternal and child health care, many groups are addressing the absence of health professionals by putting resources behind midwives, traditional birth attendants, and skilled birth attendants. Pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death and disability among women in developing countries. Having a skilled attendant present during delivery is considered the single most critical intervention for ensuring safe motherhood. Direct Relief supports midwife training programs in 12 countries, including Afghanistan, which has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) is working to reverse that statistic. Founded Learning (AIL) is working to reverse that statistic. Founded Learning

by Sakena Yacoobi in 1995, AIL provides healthcare services, preschool through university-level education, and training to women and girls at four sites in Afghanistan. With support from the Abbott Fund and Direct Relief, AIL has operated a successful nurse-midwife training course since 2005. To date, 78 women have completed their training, with most now employed in clinics and hospitals. An additional 25 students are expected to graduate in 2010. Trainees study a comprehensive curriculum of medical subjects during the 18-month program and after graduation are able to treat an estimated 11,000 patients a year. Because are able to treat an estimated 11,000 patients a year. Because it is culturally preferred that Afghan women receive health it is culturally preferred that Afghan women receive health care from a female provider, highly skilled nurse-midwives care from a female provider, highly skilled nurse-midwives represent greater access to care and are highly sought represent greater access to care and are highly sought after. The Abbott Fund has funded nurse-midwife training after. The Abbott Fund has funded nurse-midwife training programs since 2005; together, Direct Relief and the Abbott programs since 2005; together, Direct Relief and the Abbott Fund have provided AIL with more than $7 million in cash Fund have provided AIL with more than $7 million in cash grants and medical material assistance.grants and medical material assistance.

Tools for MidwivesTraining and equipping midwives saves lives and signifi cantly increases and improves the chance for safe delivery. Based on input from partners in the fi eld, and with support from the Steinmetz Foundation, Direct Relief designed and provided more than 700 medical kits to midwives in 14 countries:

AFRICA: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda ASIA: Afghanistan, China (Tibet), India, Indonesia,

Laos, Philippines Laos, Philippines LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras PACIFIC: Fiji Fiji

The $50 kit is designed to handle 100 deliveries, The $50 kit is designed to handle 100 deliveries, with equipment that is sterilized after each use and with equipment that is sterilized after each use and supplies that can be restocked by Direct Relief.supplies that can be restocked by Direct Relief.

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As the fall/winter fl u season approaches, Direct Relief has been building an effective response plan to a widespread outbreak of the H1N1 Infl uenza-A strain. Working closely with the emergency response agencies at the national and state level, Direct Relief staff has identifi ed key items designed to help healthcare workers avoid infection so they can continue to treat patients. With the support of major healthcare company donors and funds designated for emergency response, Direct Relief is sourcing the materials U.S. clinics will need to address H1N1 fl u prevention and infection. The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies provided a large donation of fl u-fi ghting products in support of the H1N1 response, including Tylenol for adults and children, Imodium, hand sanitizer, and soap. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated, good personal hygiene provides protection against the fl u virus. Direct Relief ’s unique nationwide partner network will play a crucial role in a large-scale H1N1 response, taking the burden off crowded emergency rooms. “U.S. health centers’ expertise in providing comprehensive primary and preventative health services to low-income,

ethnically diverse patients makes them uniquely positioned to participate in community response to an infl uenza pandemic,” says Mollie Melbourne, director of emergency management for the National Association of Community Health Centers. During the fi rst phase of the new fl u strain, Direct Relief activated its emergency response team to provide medical supplies to clinics in California and Texas, states where the infection rates were highest. Aid was also sent to the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City, a 500-bed hospital that cares for children age 17 and younger, regardless of their ability to pay. While H1N1 is proving to be less virulent than previously thought, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that several groups are advised to take precaution against infection, including children under the age of 5; adults 65 and older; pregnant women; people with chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes; and people with suppressed immune systems.

Most Vulnerable to H1N1 Flu* Children under 5 People over 65 Pregnant Women People with chronic respiratory and

pulmonary illnesses, including asthma and diabetes

People with immunosuppression caused by medications and HIV

Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

* according to the CDC

Fighting Heart Disease in Fiji INFUSING RESOURCES WHERE THEY’RE NEEDED MOST

Thanks to Direct Relief and Merck & Co, Inc., 400 patients at Fiji’s Savusavu Hospital will receive

medication to treat their high cholesterol, one of the population’s gravest chronic conditions, free of charge for one year. “Many people think of Fiji only as white-sand beaches, turquoise waters with colorful fi sh and magnifi cent coral, and the friendliest people on earth,” noted Dr. Mohammed Ishaque, director of Savusavu Hospital and Sub-Divisional Medical Offi cer for Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu. “But unfortunate medical conditions dampen this idyllic place. Diets often high in saturated fats, starch, and sugar lead to cases of high cholesterol and heart disease.” The donation was made possible through a collaboration between Merck, Direct Relief, and the Savusavu Community Foundation, a nonprofi t corporation operating in the U.S. and Fiji to provide medical, education, and environmental support to Savusavu and other areas throughout Fiji. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort handled the consignment and physical delivery of the donation to Savusavu Hospital. Patients will also receive nutrition

education guides to accompany their drug treatment regimen. Merck & Co., Inc. also donated 25 copies of the 18th edition of the Merck Manual for use at Savusavu and Labasa Hospitals, in addition to nursing stations and medical centers throughout the region. The Merck Manual is a widely used guide to assist doctors and nurses in diagnosing and treating medical problems, from simple ailments to complex diseases. Dr. Neil Sharma, Fiji’s Minister of Health stated, “I fi nd these manuals invaluable and hope to eventually have copies at all of Fiji’s medical locations.”

“Unfortunate medical conditions dampen this idyllic place. Diets

often high in saturated fats, starch, and sugar lead to cases

of high cholesterol and heart disease.”

– Dr. Mohammed Ishaque, Director of Savusavu Hospital

FACT:

Ischaemic heart disease, brought on by high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension, is Fiji’s leading cause of death. – WHO, 2006

On the Brink of Flu Season

PREPARING FOR SWINE FLU IN THE U.S. AND MEXICO

DR. ERIC KLEERUP, CLINICAL

PROFESSOR OF

PULMONARY MEDICINE

AT UCLA SCHOOL OF

MEDICINE, EXAMINES A

PATIENT AT SAVUSAVU HOSPITAL

IN FIJI

“U.S. health centers’ expertise in providing comprehensive

primary and preventative health services to low-

income, ethnically diverse patients makes them uniquely

positioned to participate in community response to an

influenza pandemic.” – Mollie Melbourne, Director of

Emergency Management, National Association of Community Health Centers

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WWW.DIRECTRELIEF.ORG FALL 2009 THIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUEST 7

»»EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

BACKPACKS START AT THE BASIC LEVEL FOR AN

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN,

AND INCLUDE MORE ADVANCED PRODUCTS

AND SUPPLIES FOR NURSES AND PHYSICIANS

What is austeremedicine?

“It’s a phrase for the practical, universal applicability of care we’re trying to accomplish through the packs—optimizing emergency medicine with the most critical components in the fewest number of moving parts. The packs are streamlined for mobility, but each unit’s versatile medical functionality belies its compact size.” – Brett Williams, Direct Relief

Emergency Response Coordinator

The number one unmet health need in Santa Barbara County is dental care for children. Direct Relief started Healthy Smiles in 1994 to provide free oral health services to thousands of the county’s low-income kids who would otherwise go without. According to the Surgeon General and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, oral diseases have been linked to weakened immune systems, diabetes, and heart and lung disease. A lack of dental treatment has the potential to affect speech, nutrition, growth, and social development. Children with oral diseases are estimated to miss over 51 million hours of school each year. In rare cases, untreated dental disease in children leads to death.

Healthy Smiles focuses on preventing dental disease and tooth decay. Working in partnership with more than 40 local agencies and hundreds of community volunteers, including 25 dentists who donate their time and expertise, Healthy Smiles has provided dental hygiene kits serving over 265,000 kids and parents since 2003. The kits are part of a broad effort to bring bilingual oral health and nutrition education to children in need and their families. Since 2002, Healthy Smiles has helped more than 600 low-income, uninsured and highly affected children receive critically needed dental treatment at no cost to families through one- and two-day dental clinics. Each Healthy Smiles Dental Clinic is a major

undertaking with many community members sharing in the project of making oral health information and services accessible and fun for children and families who otherwise cannot afford a visit to the dentist offi ce. Pre-dental and pre-medical students from UCSB, dental hygiene students from Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria High School’s Key Club, dentists who are members of the Central Coast Dental Society and the Santa Barbara-Ventura Counties Dental Society, the staff of each host dental offi ce, and the Santa Barbara County Dental Disease Program’s Tooth Fairies all volunteer their time to make the day a success, put the parents at ease, and ensure that each child is treated with care and a smile.

37.2 c

Equipping Medical Reservists Here at Home

INFECTION CONTROL, critical in any emergency, particularly hurricanes and fl oods, during which waterborne illnesses are prevalent

N95 PARTICULATE MASKSEXAM GLOVES HAND SANITIZERANTIBIOTICSANTIFUNGAL OINTMENTHYDROCORTISONE CREAM

DIAGNOSTICS to quickly and accurately assess the condition of affected people on-scene

STETHOSCOPE BLOOD PRESSURE CUFFOPHTHALMOSCOPE THERMOMETERS

TRAUMA CARE for open wounds most frequently associated with earthquakes

GAUZE PADS AND BANDAGES SCALPELS AND SHARPS CONTAINERSUTURE KITIODINE

PERSONAL PROTECTION + TOOLS to help fi rst responders get to people trapped under debris after an earthquake or keep people warm and dry through a hurricane

HEADLAMP AND WORK GLOVES EMERGENCY BLANKETS PONCHOS COLD AND HEAT PACKS MULTI-TOOL AND DUCT TAPE

FACTS:33.9% of kids in Santa Barbara County are without dental insurance. – UCLA Center for Health Policy

Research

24% of children under 11 in California have never been to a dentist. – California Healthcare

Foundation

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A YOUNG PATIENT RECEIVES FREE DENTAL CARE AT A HEALTHY SMILES DENTAL CLINIC IN GUADALUPE, CALIFORNIA

Healthy Smiles FREE DENTAL CARE FOR LOCAL KIDS

The Santa Barbara County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was founded in 2007 to ensure that medical volunteers would be ready and able to help during a public health

emergency. Like other MRCs around the country, the Santa Barbara County MRC is completely volunteer and members must provide their own supplies and equipment for use during emergencies. At the request of the Public Health Department’s Offi ce of Emergency Services, Direct Relief designed and provided 90 members of the Santa Barbara County MRC with custom preparedness kits. The streamlined backpacks start at the basic level for an emergency medical technician, and include more

advanced products and supplies for nurses and physicians. Contents include fi rst-aid supplies, medications, and diagnostic tools. The kits enable MRC members—trained, credentialed medical personnel—to support the work of fi rst responders when an emergency strikes. Designed to “grab and go,” the preparedness kits were created with input from other experienced emergency responders, including physicians from the UCLA School of Medicine, the University of Pittsburgh, emergency fi eld physicians from Australian Aid International, and representatives from the Santa Barbara Public Health Department.

AUSTERE MEDICINE FOR LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE VOLUNTEERS

8 WWW.DIRECTRELIEF.ORG FALL 2009 THIS REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY A GENEROUS BEQUEST

27 S. LA PATERA LANESANTA BARBARA, CA 93117TEL: 805.964.4767 TOLL FREE: 800.676.1638 FAX: 805.681.4838www.DirectRelief.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR Dorothy F. Largay, Ph.D.VICE CHAIR Thomas J. CusackSECRETARY James H. SelbertTREASURER Kenneth J. Coates

Frederick Beckett • Jon E. Clark • Patty DeDominic • Ernest H. Drew, Ph.D. Patrick Enthoven • Gary Finefrock • Paul Flynn • Richard GodfreyBert Green, M.D. • Raye Haskell • Stanley C. Hatch • W. Scott HedrickPriscilla Higgins, Ph.D. • Brett Hodges • Ellen K. Johnson • Donald J. Lewis Robert A. McLalan • Rita Moya • Carmen Elena Palomo • John RomoAyesha Shaikh, M.D. • George Short • Gary R. Tobey • Sherry Villanueva

INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARDCHAIRMAN Frank N. Magid

Lawrence R. Glenn • E. Carmack Holmes, M.D.S. Roger Horchow • Stanley S. Hubbard • Jon B. Lovelace Donald E. Petersen • Richard L. Schall • John W. Sweetland

PRESIDENT & CEO Thomas Tighe

HONORARY BOARDPRESIDENT EMERITUS Sylvia KarczagCHAIR EMERITUS Jean HayDIRECTOR EMERITUS Dorothy Adams

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAID

SANTA BARBARA, CAPERMIT #756

THE $5 Difference

Make a legacy gift to Direct Relief and extend your generosity beyond your lifetime. Your commitment and dedication will help people affected by poverty, emergencies, and civil unrest live better, healthier lives far into the future.

For more information, contact Jill Muchow Rode, CFRE, Director of Development jrode@directrelief.org or (805) 964-4767 x181

Does a $5 donation make a difference? The answer is a difference? The answer is a difference?resounding yes when it comes to the medical aid Direct Relief can provide. We put needed materials, supplies, and medicines into the hands of healthcare providers caring for the most vulnerable people in their communities, including the U.S.

See some examples of the support that donations provide—and make a $5 difference—at

Get Connected with Direct Relief

100% OF CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEVOTED TO OUR PROGRAMS. All overhead (non-program) expenses are

covered by a generous bequest.

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