Afya is busy doing what it does well, respond to needs, worldwide, with tenacity, compassion and the delivery of supplies vitally needed for medical care.
The islands have our attention and focus and we can make a difference there. We have request lists for medical supplies coming in from Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, British Virgin Islands and St Thomas.
We have loaded 13 planes with medications and medical supplies and more will follow.
• These supplies combine for a total of 36,000 lbs valued over $2,000,000.
• Tens of thousands have benefitted from these supplies.
Hospitals and medical teams from the hurricane-affected islands have contacted us, asking for our support to pack and deliver vitally needed supplies. FEMA and government support has been very slow in arriving and coordination/distribution is overly complicated for organizations with significant bureaucracy.
We shared initial lists of requests from providers on the ground, with our long-term supporters at the Greater New York Hospital Association and the NYC Office of Emergency Management. In addition, long-standing hospital product donors have been extremely responsive to this crisis, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York- Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center. We are partnering with UJA-Federations of New York for donated private airplanes and for financial donations to support the initial set of deliveries to Puerto Rico and soon, St Thomas.
The NYS Governor and Attorney General’s Office are working with Afya to coordinate shipment logistics and refer all requests for supplies and offers of donor planes to our organization for management and allocation.The first flight we packed was covered by The Huffington Post.
Partners in Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and British Virgin Islands
Afya carefully vets partners on the ground for supply donations and distribution. This vetting is done through our vast network of partners and supporters and recently included an on the ground visit to San Juan.
Partners in Action
Afya evaluates partners on the ground to ensure supply donations and distribution will reach individuals who need it the most. This vetting is coordinated through our network of partners and supporters.
- Adult and Pediatric Diabetes Association of Puerto Rico – 3000 vials of insulin
- Association provided intra-island transport and delivery to most large hospitals in Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra
- Buen Samaritano, Costa Salud Rincon
- Universidad Pediatrico Hospital – medications and medical supplies
- Administration de Servicios Médicos de Puerto Rico – medications and medical supplies
- SEIU/CREARTE – humanitarian provisions, water and over-the-counter medications, personal care kits
- Loiza Community – humanitarian provisions, water and over-the-counter medications, personal care kits
- Toa Baja Community – humanitarian provisions, water and over-the-counter medications, personal care kits
- Culebra Hospital – medications
- Puerto Rico Recovery Fund
- Dr. Michelle Carlo (#medicosporPR) – medications and medical supplies
- CDTs in rural community areas – medications and medical supplies
- Cabo Rojo
- Adjuntas
- Utado
- Peñuelas
- Guayanillo
- Toa Baja
- Auxilio Transplant Center – Hospita Auxilio Mutuo – medications
- San Jorge Children’s Hospital – medications and medical supplies
- Metropolitan Hospital Yauco
- Ponce School of Medicine Foundation
- Hospital Damas
- Hospital San Lucas
- San Christobal Hospital
- Hospital Dr. Pila
- Primary Care Association – medications and medical supplies
- Ponce School of Medicine Foundation
Here is how you can help:
1. Help us to raise funds for this targeted effort. Please visit Afya Foundation to donate.