As Hurricane Nolo Approaches Hawaiʻi, Direct Relief Sends Additional Emergency Medical Aid

After months of severe weather, Direct Relief is rushing urgently needed medical aid to Hawaiʻi to help local healthcare providers sustain care as Hurricane Nolo approaches.

Hawaiʻi is preparing for heavy rain from Hurricane Nolo, with forecasters warning of potentially catastrophic flooding. The threat follows months of successive storms that have kept local healthcare providers and first responders meeting the immediate needs of communities facing repeated displacement and interruptions in care.

In response, Direct Relief is sending medicines and essential medical supplies to Hawaiʻi ahead of the storm, helping local healthcare providers prepare to care for people affected by Nolo.

The emergency stockpile will be used by Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center, which lost one of its clinic sites during Hurricane Lala and has been using its mobile medical unit to bring care to rural and remote areas of the island. The health center used much of its original emergency stockpile to support that response.

Direct Relief's emergency stockpiles contain medicines and supplies commonly needed after disasters, including treatments for diabetes, hypertension, asthma, infections, allergic reactions, and wounds. Each domestic stockpile is designed to support approximately 500 patients for 30 days.

Direct Relief is also sending emergency medical packs for use by first responders, and personal care items for displaced families. On Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, the organization is providing solar lights and water purification supplies to Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi to help the organization prepare for potential disruptions.

Since the Kona low storms on March 10, Direct Relief has sent more than $820,000 in medical aid to Hawaiʻi, including three emergency stockpiles positioned with local healthcare partners to support continued primary care services.

The Hawaiʻi stockpiles are part of Direct Relief's Hurricane Preparedness Program. Ahead of this year's hurricane season, the organization positioned emergency medical stockpiles with more than 70 healthcare providers across the Southeast, Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaiʻi and the Caribbean. This work builds on more than two decades of collaboration with FedEx to position medical supplies before disasters and help get additional aid to healthcare providers when emergencies arise.

Direct Relief remains in contact with local partners as they prepare for Nolo and will respond to additional needs as conditions become clearer.