Direct Relief Foundation
08/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/21/2026 13:44
PPE, Medications Depart for DRC Ebola Response, and More
Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 365 shipments of requested medical aid to 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 13.9 million defined daily doses of medication.
Medications and supplies shipped this week included antibiotics, diabetes treatments, cancer therapies, cold-chain equipment, and more.
Major Shipment Departs for DRC Ebola Response
A 19-pallet shipment departed Direct Relief's warehouse this week bound for Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it will be distributed by VillageReach across three provinces: Ituri, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo. The shipment includes 341 cases of 3M protective coveralls, along with other personal protective equipment, such as eye goggles and face shields, IV fluids, and water purification products.
This shipment is part of Direct Relief's larger response to the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC, which the World Health Organization has warned is on pace to become the deadliest in history. Since May, Direct Relief has delivered 19.5 tons of PPE, essential medicines, and supplies, valued at $11.3 million, to partners across DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, with additional emergency shipments en route.
Direct Relief has provided a $150,000 grant to Locally Haiti for a solar microgrid at Petit Trou Community Hospital and Health Center in Petit-Trou-de-Nippes, Haiti, in addition to a previous $462,000 grant that supported the hospital's construction.
The hospital officially opened in February 2025, replacing the town's only health center, which was irreparably damaged in the August 2021 earthquake. The facility was built through a local-led effort by the nonprofit Locally Haiti in partnership with local officials and Haiti's Ministry of Health, restoring access to clinical care for the surrounding community.
The hospital continues to operate amid rising patient loads driven by displacement and instability across Haiti, making reliable power especially critical to maintaining cold storage for temperature-sensitive medications. The new solar microgrid will help ensure consistent power for the hospital's operations.
Field Medic Packs Strengthen Hurricane Readiness in St. Kitts
Direct Relief has provided 20 field medic packs to St. Kitts and Nevis, marking the organization's first donation to the country. The backpacks, which contain medical essentials for care outside of clinic walls, were handed over to Emergency Medical Services, equipping ambulance response teams with critical medical supplies ahead of hurricane season.
"These specialized packs will be deployed across the health sector, beginning with the further equipping of our ambulance emergency response team," said the Ministry of Health. "This partnership augurs well for the entire Federation, strengthening our emergency medical capacity and ensuring that our people receive timely, life-saving care."
St. Kitts was last directly impacted by a major storm during Hurricane Erin in August 2025, which brought wind speeds of 160 mph. The new supplies will help ensure EMS personnel are prepared to respond quickly in the event of future storms.
Operational Snapshot
UNITED STATES
Direct Relief delivered 299 shipments containing 584,013 doses of medications this past week to organizations, including the following:
- iAMERICA Center, Michigan
- Mercy Medical Clinic, Kentucky
- Open Door Health Center, Florida
- Community Care Clinic of Franklin, North Carolina
- South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation, Texas
- Interfaith Health Center, Tennessee
- Judeo Christian Ministries, INC., Missouri
- Whatley Health Services, Inc., Alabama
- The Agape Clinic, Texas
- Community Health of East Tennessee, Tennessee
Around the World
Globally, Direct Relief shipped over 12.1 million defined daily doses of medication, totaling 70,956 pounds, to countries including the following:
- Mexico
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Palestinian Territories
- Ukraine
- Senegal
- Jamaica
- Honduras
- India
Year-To-Date
Since January 1, 2026, Direct Relief has delivered 14.7K shipments to 2,376 partner organizations in 53 U.S. states and territories and 89 countries.
These shipments contained 255.1 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.1 billion (wholesale) and totaled 2.8 million pounds.
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Direct Relief Foundation published this content on August 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 21, 2026 at 19:45 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]