ADRA Delivers Food and Medical Aid in Myanmar
15th May 2008
Silver Spring, Maryland—The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is expanding its
response in Myanmar (Burma) following the devastation of Cyclone Nargis on 3
May, with the ADRA network collectively committing US$265,500 to provide immediate
disaster relief, food assistance and medical supplies to communities in the hard-hit
Irrawaddy Delta region.
The ADRA network’s commitment,
which includes a contribution from ADRA Australia, will fund a response project
to provide food rations, temporary shelter materials, water containers, kitchen
sets, tool kits and hygiene kits to approximately 20,000 internally displaced
persons (IDPs) who escaped low-lying villages in the delta region.
Through a
partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), ADRA Myanmar has distributed more
than 25 metric tons of rice and power biscuits to an estimated 50,000 IDPs in
Labutta, a rice-trading town in the delta that has become a refuge for
thousands of people. In the Piensalu islands south of Labutta, a separate ADRA Myanmar
food distribution program has provided more than two metric tons of rice and a
supply of clean drinking water to affected villages. Food distributions are
expected to increase in coming days.
ADRA Myanmar has
also helped to provide 250 medical kits to the affected area, following a
donation from Germany-based Johanniter International Assistance. In addition, ADRA
International, through a partnership with World Emergency Relief (WER), is
shipping 20 medicine packs to support a medical team already assisting residents
in an isolated part of the delta. Each pack provides approximately 1,500
treatments from mixed medicines, antiseptics and antibiotics. In a separate
shipment donated by Heart to Heart International, ADRA has also sent medical
supplies, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, vitamins, topical creams, oral
rehydration salts, anti-amoebic drugs and bandages.
ADRA Myanmar is
delivering water filtration units capable of providing clean water for 46,000
people a day, three small water systems that will help purify water for up to
2,000 people each and one million water purification tablets to Labutta, where
people can only access water from a 15 acre pond. These items were donated by
Global Medic and Muslim Aid. Training for the water equipment will also be
provided.
ADRA’s emergency
response to Cyclone Nargis, which has killed between 31,000 and 101,000 people
and affected more than 1.5 million others, is centred in the Irrawaddy Delta
region.
ADRA Australia has
opened a Myanmar Cyclone Appeal to support the response effort. Donations can
be made to ADRA Australia by calling 1800 242 372 or visiting www.adra.org.au
ADRA Australia is a non-government organisation (NGO)
engaging in sustainable community development and emergency management for
people in
8 May 2008 - Myanmar: ADRA Continues Response to Cyclone Nargis
6 May 2008 - Cyclone Nargis Devastates Myanmar: ADRA Responds
Media Enquiries:
Candice Jaques
p 02 9489 5488
m 0407 172 305
e news@adra.org.au
www.adra.org.au
