Direct Relief Funds Venezuela Earthquake Recovery with Emergency Grants for Medical Support

Direct Relief today issued financial support to two local Venezuelan groups working to distribute medical aid within the country and support health needs as the response to last week's major earthquakes shifts from search-and-rescue efforts to recovery.

Direct Relief is issuing grants of $100,000 each to two local Venezuelan organizations, Acción Solidaria and Grupo de Rescate Metropolitano de Caracas, or GREMCA. Thursday's financial support builds on funds issued last week for search-and-rescue and medical support efforts.

Funding Local Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Venezuela

Acción Solidaria has been a key partner for Direct Relief in Venezuela, and has over a decade of emergency response experience through their Humanitarian Health Response Unit.

To strengthen the group's ability to safely store and distribute medical aid locally, Acción Solidaria will receive $100,000 to secure a logistics warehouse for earthquake response medical donations. Through a strong local network, Acción Solidaria can support other local emergency response groups and health organizations, and the grant will bolster their ability to safely store aid, including cold chain medications, and allow their logistics operations to operate on a larger scale.

In addition to emergency funds, Acción Solidaria has requested medical aid from Direct Relief, including medicines, medical supplies, field medic packs, medical-grade tents, and more, which are expected to ship in the coming days.

Strengthening Medical Stations and Medical Logistics

Direct Relief will also provide financial support to GREMCA, or Grupo de Rescate Metropolitano de Caracas, a local Venezuelan search and rescue and medical response organization focusing its support in the most affected areas by the earthquake, including in La Guaira and Caracas. GREMCA is currently still in the search and rescue phase of the response, but beginning to coordinate the second phase, which involves cleaning and sanitation support.

GREMCA medical personnel have set up medical stations throughout affected areas offering needed healthcare, and Direct Relief's grant will support the local purchase of medicines and medical supplies to use at these medical stations and to distribute to regional healthcare facilities.

The funds will also support:
• Supplies for search-and-rescue personnel and medical staff
• Fuel and transportation costs
• Operational logistics
• Communication infrastructure, including portable radios

Direct Relief funded the deployment of Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras, or BUSF, a Spain-based search-and-rescue organization, that supported operations in earthquake-impacted areas. Direct Relief also supported the deployment of Medical Impact, a multidisciplinary medical team from Mexico and Colombia that includes emergency physicians to support mobile medical services and health response activities.

In addition to immediate financial support, Direct Relief also continues to pulse requested medical aid into the region to support immediate health needs, as well as supporting medium- and long-term support of the health system.