478 Community Clinics in 49 States to Receive Needed H1N1 Protective Supplies From Direct Relief USA

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov 20, 2009 (ASCRIBE NEWS via COMTEX) --
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Direct Relief USA, a program of humanitarian medical aid
group Direct Relief International, is providing 478 clinics
in 49 states needed H1N1 protective items to help clinic
workers stay healthy and on the job through flu season. This
morning staff at Direct Relief International's 60,000
square-foot headquarters and warehouse will complete the
packing of nearly 500 large cartons of supplies weighing
approximately five tons.

Friday's shipments, to be delivered for free by longtime
supporter FedEx, contain 20,000 bottles of hand sanitizer
and 36,000 bars of soap. These basic but important items
help keep clinical staff healthy throughout the flu season
allowing clinics to use their limited resources on other
priorities.

This is the first of a series of cold and flu season
distributions helping support the safety net clinics this
winter. Future shipments will be focused on supplies for
patients presenting with cold and flu symptoms, including
over-the-counter cough and cold medicines appropriate for
patients with seasonal colds and flu.

This support was prompted by a nationwide survey
conducted by Direct Relief USA that showed that 80 percent
of clinics and health centers have less than a one-month
supply of key Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like hand
sanitizer, gowns, goggles, and masks, which are needed to
protect staff from infection. The survey represented over
30,000 healthcare workers who treat over 4 million patients
annually.

"We surveyed our clinic partners on the educated 'hunch'
that they are already hard pressed and would not have the
resources to have built up the recommended stockpiles for an
H1N1 surge," said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief's president
and CEO.

Survey participants included nonprofit federally
qualified health centers, free clinics, and unaffiliated
nonprofit community health centers.

"As we introduce this kind of communication to support
our country's nonprofit safety net, we are also unifying a
fragmented system so we can get doctors and healthcare
workers what they need to treat the patients they care for,"
said Tighe. "And in turn, we are able to most effectively
channel the money and medical materials entrusted to us by
people and by our product donor companies."

Uniquely positioned to help fill the gap between
government facilities and private healthcare institutions,
community health centers and clinics treat the most
vulnerable patients on a daily basis by playing a key role
in delivering health services to medically underserved
individuals and families. They also become first responders
when medical emergencies and natural disasters
strike. Safety-net clinics and health centers provide
quality care at little or no cost to patients, a significant
percentage of who are uninsured and earn less than 200
percent of the Federal Poverty Line.

Direct Relief International, best known for its 61 years
of international medical relief, currently operates the
largest medical product support program for America's
safety-net clinics and health centers through its Direct
Relief USA program. Since its launch, Direct Relief USA has
provided more than $150 million (wholesale) worth of
medicines and supplies to more than 1,000 partner clinics
and health centers in the U.S. This includes more than 10
million needed prescriptions.

About Direct Relief International

Founded in 1948, Direct Relief is a Santa Barbara,
California-based nonprofit organization focused on improving
quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and
supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct
Relief has provided more than $1 billion in privately funded
humanitarian aid since 2000, including more than $150
million in assistance in the United States. It is one of two
charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect
fundraising efficiency score for seven consecutive years and
is ranked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as California's
largest international nonprofit organization based on
private support. For more information, please visit
http://www.directrelief.org/ .

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CONTACTS:

Marjorie Wass, SurfMedia Communications, 805-687-3322,
mw@surfmedia.com

Juliana Minsky, SurfMedia Communications, 805-687-3322,
jm@surfmedia.com

Jim Prosser, Direct Relief International, 805-964-4767,
jprosser@directrelief.org

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