ADRA continoues to provide additional food, medicines shelte for myanmar survivors

On Wednesday, May 28, ADRA distributed 15 metric tons of rice to survivors, and 647 boxes of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) in Ponlong Village, Pyinsalu Sub Township, where approximately 3,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been staying.  ADRA also distributed 69 buckets, 144 packages of soap, and 60 tarpaulins donated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
In order to provide better access to clean water and improve sanitation conditions, ADRA built two latrines and completed an assessment of wells in the Labutta Township. ADRA also expects to provide bedding, hygiene and household kits to 4,400 families, in addition to kitchen utensils and food packages to 10,000 survivors in the southern Pyinsalu area.  Each package contains rice, beans, and iodized salt.
In recent days, ADRA recruited a second medical team of five female doctors to provide timely medical attention to survivors suffering from injuries and various ailments. 
“This will allow ADRA to increase our capacity to provide health assessments and basic treatment for survivors, especially for women, while remaining respectful of the local cultural practices,” said Mark Castellino, programs director for the ADRA network emergency response in Myanmar. 
ADRA is preparing to distribute more than three tons of medicines and medical supplies donated by World Emergency Relief (WER) to affected children.  This shipment, which arrived in Myanmar on Monday, June 2, includes children’s antibiotics, vitamin supplements, and sterile medical dressings.  The medicine will be distributed to local health facilities that are treating children within the affected region.
ADRA’s emergency response is centered in the devastated Irrawaddy Delta, where ADRA was one of the first aid organizations to begin providing aid to survivors.  
Although officially more than 134,000 are dead or missing, other estimates set those numbers considerably higher. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that up to 2.4 million people have been affected, most of them severely. OCHA reports that just over one million of this population has received humanitarian assistance to date, or less than half of the total affected.
The ADRA network committed an immediate $265,500 in emergency response activities, which was complemented by a $100,000 match from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In addition, ADRA has provided donated medical supplies worth more than $130,000, water purification systems, water purification tablets, baby kits, hygiene kits, shelter materials, kitchen kits for 10,000 displaced persons, and 10,000 blankets, longyi, underwear, and slippers.
The most urgently needed items remain food, water purification supplies, plastic sheeting, cooking sets, bedding, clothing, raincoats, mosquito nets, fuel, and emergency health kits.
To send your contribution to ADRA’s emergency response effort, please contact ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or give to the Myanmar Cyclone Fund at http://www.adra.org
ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
Additional information about ADRA can be found at http://www.adra.org.