Direct Relief

Direct Relief (previously recognized as Direct Relief International) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with an affirmed mission to “develop the health and lives of people exaggerated by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing vital medical resources required for their care." The organization is led by President and CEO Thomas Tighe and a 31-member Board of Directors. Tighe came to Direct Relief from the Peace Corps, where he worked as Chief-of-Staff and Chief Operating Officer from 1995-2000. 

History

In 1945, William Zimdin, an Estonian migrant and victorious businessman in pre-war Europe, started sending thousands of relief packages to relatives, friends, and ex- employees in the repercussion of World War II. In 1948, Zimdin dignified his efforts with the launching of the William Zimdin Foundation. In 1951, Dezso Karczag, a Hungarian migrant took over management of the foundation after Zimdin's death. In 1957, he altered the organizations name to 'Direct Relief Foundation'. The organization again renamed "Direct Relief International" in 1982, and later "Direct Relief" in 2013. Direct Relief was the foremost nonprofit organization in the United States of America to be selected by National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) as a Authenticated-Certified Wholesale Distributor approved to dispense pharmaceutical medicines to all 50 United States's States and Washington, D.C. 

Operation

Operating budget of Direct Relief's averaged approximately $11 million between 2000 - 2014. At the same period, Direct Relief detailed distributing more than $1.6 billion in medical funds and supplies all over the U.S. and the world - a ratio of $36.00 in relieve for each $1.00 in operating cost. Health supplies from Direct Relief come mostly from donations by hundreds of companies such as Abbott, Ansell, BD, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and generic pharmaceutical producers. Direct Relief handles logistics and delivery through enterprise systems including Esri, SAP, and Palantir, and from transportation support from FedEx.

Emergency preparedness and response

Relief Efforts

April 2015 Nepal earthquake: In response to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Direct Relief instantly mustered and distributed 118,000 pounds of medical supplies via FedEx charter, including 6.2 million distinct daily doses of medications. 

Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa: As of February 2015, Direct Relief distributed 40 consignments of medical support worth of $25 million to around 1,000 hospitals and clinics in Liberia and Sierra Leone. On 20 September 2014, Direct Relief contracted a 747 filled with 100 tons of materials for Ebola-hit regions. Worth of $6 million, the shipment of 120,000 masks, 2.8 million surgical and exam gloves, 170,000 coverall gowns, 9.8 million doses of essential medications and 40,000 liters of pre-mixed oral rehydration solution, was the biggest single emergency consignment till date from the U.S. to the region. 

Hurricane Sandy: Direct Relief aided channel response efforts by mapping pharmacies, gas stations, and other facilities that lingered in the New York City area in spite of power outages, in addition to supporting non-profit health centers, community clinics, and other groups in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy with medical goods. 

2010 Haiti earthquake: After six months of the Haiti earthquake, Direct Relief granted more than 400 tons of emergency medical backup worth in excess of $57 million to Haitian health care facilities, mobile medical clinics, international medical teams, tent-based hospitals and medical units at camps for relocated people all over the country. 

Use of Technology

Direct Relief using Esri technology,  initiated a Global Aid Map in 2011 to envisage channels of aid and medical supplies distributed during emergencies in no time and to offer a better transparency into how, where, and how much aid the organization distributed. Direct Relief has adopted communications data integration systems developed by  Palantir Technologies to harmonize and improve emergency response during critical moments after a disaster. Also, Direct Relief has used civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to counter to disaster. Functioning with technology companies like Palantir and Esri, Direct Relief pre-positions medical supply units with safety-net health facilities in communally vulnerable areas, the Caribbean, flood zones and hurricane paths along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, the Philippines, and  Central America. Direct Relief supplies the Hurricane Preparedness Packs with assistance from individuals, pharmaceutical and medical companies, and through long relationship with FedEx.