Chile: AmeriCares Disaster Relief and Emergency Medical Aid

AmeriCares is an international disaster and humanitarian relief organization that has provided over $9 billion dollars in lifesaving aid to 147 countries, including the United States, over the past 25 years.  We recently delivered an emergency airlift of medical and humanitarian aid to help disaster survivors in Chile, where thousands of people are recovering from an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in February. To date, nearly $600,000 worth of relief has arrived, helping countless Chilean families in their time of greatest need.

An estimated 2 million people are affected by the impact of the earthquake and the tsunami that followed it: over 500,000 homes were destroyed, four of Chile's main hospitals were severely damaged, and the national economy was seriously disrupted.  AmeriCares is committed to helping Chile recover from this devastating disaster.

AmeriCares disaster shipments to Chile have included 11,500 pounds of medical supplies, including bandages and masks to protect against dust and debris; personal hygiene items to prevent infection and disease; as well as flashlights and water containers to carry safe drinking water. A second relief shipment included medicines, surgical supplies and disaster relief for survivors of the recent earthquake. Medical aid includes medicines to treat serious infections, gastrointestinal diseases and crush injuries. It also includes surgical supplies such as sutures and scalpels.

"These deliveries provided basic medical supplies and personal hygiene items which are essential for improving the quality of life for Chileans trying to recover from the earthquake,” said Christoph Gorder, Vice President of Emergency Response for AmeriCares. “They will keep families healthy as they rebuild their homes and their lives."

Since 1989, AmeriCares has delivered over $16 million in medical aid and humanitarian assistance to Chile. In addition to recent earthquake relief in Chile, AmeriCares efforts have included shipments of disaster preparedness supplies, antibiotics, children's medications and specialized medicines to treat people with hemophilia.