As discussions continue between the government in Myanmar (Burma) and the United Nations to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis, WER UK, in conjunction with WER Germany, Holland and USA, is pleased to announce the release of pharmaceuticals worth over £1 million for immediate air-freight to Myanmar.
The pharmaceuticals have been donated to WER by major European manufacturers through International Health Partners (IHP). They will be distributed within Myanmar through ADRA Burma, a local NGO which forms part of the WHO Health Cluster in Myanmar, and will be used to bring urgently-needed relief to communities within the Irawaddy delta region of the country.
WER has already successfully delivered humanitarian aid to Myanmar and this has been immediately distributed to communities in need.
Commenting on WER's support to Myanmar, Joel MacCollam, founder and CEO of WER, said,
"Our commitment to partner with local NGOs always enables us to respond without delay with efficient and cost-effective humanitarian relief. The WER offices in Holland, Germany, the UK and the USA are getting aid into Myanmar and lives are being saved, in spite of what the media might be reporting otherwise."
This latest donation of pharmaceuticals will be air-freighted as regular individual consignments in order to help ensure quick entry into Myanmar. The first consignment will leave the UK for Myanmar on Saturday 24th May. A further five air-freight deliveries are scheduled over the next two weeks.
David Holdsworth of ADRA International and Ray Chevalier of ADRA Burma have both expressed their appreciation of WER's support to ADRA Burma, stating that the pharmaceuticals sent by WER were a 'vital contribution' to their work within the region.
WER is continuing to appeal for support from the UK public in order to help ensure further supplies can be quickly delivered to Myanmar. The humanitarian aid already sent by WER has been successfully received by ADRA Burma and is right now being used to treat and save the lives of those affected by the cyclone.
Calling for greater funding to be committed to Myanmar, Alex Haxton, Director of Operations for WER UK, commented,
"As corporate donors are seeing that WER has partners on the ground who are right now carrying out effective work and who have the ability to clear and distribute goods within the country, they are increasingly offering more supplies to WER for shipment to the region. Health organisations (the 'Health Cluster') within Myanmar desperately need further medical and pharmaceutical supplies to be sent to the country. WER hopes that UK funding agencies, including the Department for International Development (DFiD), will be encouraged to release funds to enable these vital resources to be delivered into Myanmar without delay."
To make a donation to support WER's Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal, please donate online at www.wer-uk.org or call the WER team on 0844 249 2129. Your gift really will make a difference.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A man walks near part of the 100 years old Bailu church that was damaged during last week's earthquake in Bailu county in Sichuan province May 23, 2008. Elderly Catholics gathered ...
