The medical aid organization, which also responds to international disasters, shipped off roughly 500 packages containing thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer and bars of soap to a total of 478 safety-net clinics in 49 states. The donations are the initial phase of an ongoing series of distributions to aid healthcare clinics.
“These basic but important items help keep clinical staff healthy throughout the flu season, allowing clinics to use their limited resources on other priorities,” according to a Direct Relief news release. “The next shipments will be focused on supplies for patients presenting with cold and flue symptoms, and will include over-the-counter cough and cold medicines appropriate for patients with seasonal colds and flu.”
A recent survey conducted by Direct Relief found that 80 percent of clinics and health centers have less than a month’s worth of key protective equipment such as hand sanitizer, gowns, goggles and masks that protect staff from infection.
The nonprofit currently offers the largest amount of support for the nation’s safety-net health centers and clinics, which subsequently offer healthcare for free or at low costs to uninsured and low-income residents.