Since the war began, Direct Relief has provided over 650 tons of medical assistance to Ukraine

Direct Relief, one of the largest philanthropic suppliers of medical aid to Ukraine in the three months since Russian forces began their invasion on February 24, has delivered more than 650 tons (1.3 million pounds) of medicine and supplies worth more than $315 million in wholesale.

The medical aid program covers antibiotics, insulin, medications for mental health difficulties, cancer treatments, and chemotherapy drugs such as COVID-19. Other prescription drugs are also covered.

Direct Relief has also offered direct financial assistance to other groups in the region totaling more than $14.7 million. Funds have been delivered directly to individuals in need to assist Ukrainian refugees in countries such as Poland with their prescription pharmaceutical copays and the operating costs of Ukrainian healthcare institutions.

"The generosity of a broad private coalition of individuals and corporations internationally is represented" in Direct Help's three-month report on humanitarian relief to Ukraine, according to Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. Direct Relief is responding to the continued violence in two ways: by assisting those who remain in Ukraine and by assisting those who have fled to neighboring countries.

Direct Relief released a report earlier this week documenting the amount of money provided by families, corporations, and other organizations. Direct Relief received 117,611 Ukraine-specific monetary contributions totaling $79.624,504 from donors in 79 countries (including Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and all U.S. states and territories) before this past May 24. Some donors combined funds from a significant number of people, resulting in 91,822 contributions. For example, Epic Games collected in-game purchases and registrations from thousands of Fortnite players and donated them to Direct Relief.

The Company's Assistance

Direct Relief follows its donation policy, which specifies that any money donated for specific needs must be used exclusively for those causes. As of this writing, Direct Relief had spent or planned to spend $21.1 million of the total monetary contributions meant for Ukraine as of this writing.

 The funds will be used for a variety of purposes, including $14.7 million in additional funding to organizations that assist Ukrainians and Ukrainian refugees (including $10 million in prescription medicine costs for refugees in Poland) and $2.4 million for the purchase of oxygen extractors, emergency medical kits, and other necessary items.

Direct Relief immediately built relationships with the Ministries of Health of Moldova, Romania, and Slovakia, as well as other organizations in these countries, to meet the health-related needs of refugee groups. Direct Relief believes that the devastation caused by Ukraine's war will take years to restore the country's health systems and population. "Direct Relief will continue to support Ukrainians," Tighe said, in addition to those who remain in Ukraine and others who have fled and may not be able to return for years.

Direct Relief was able to provide a substantial percentage of the huge medical supply support without using donor money thanks to in-kind gifts from healthcare providers and suppliers, many of whom Direct Relief functions with regularly.

Assistance with Data Acquisition

In the aftermath of the disaster, Direct Relief has been a significant source of information as well as medical treatment and financial assistance. Crowdsourcing data on the needs of internal displacement, including their origin and destination, as well as access to critical services and products such as health care, access to water, and food, were obtained with the assistance of Direct Relief.

Direct Relief has collected data from over 950 dispensaries across Ukraine over the last 2.5 months, many of which are located in combat zones. Using pharmacy data, the MOH needs lists were cross-validated. First responders, pharmaceutical partners, and Ukrainian health specialists, as well as UN agencies and foreign humanitarian organizations, were provided with crucial information to help them prioritize and use their resources. Partners in analysis sharing include the World Bank, UNICEF, Mercy Corps, and others.