AmeriCares Relief Worker Arrives in Myanmar

Organization Continues with Efforts to Gain Clearance for Airlift of Medical
Supplies

STAMFORD, Conn., May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An AmeriCares emergency
relief expert arrived in Myanmar earlier today to assess the crisis situation
and continue with efforts to obtain clearance for the organization's airlift
of 15 tons of essential medicines and medical supplies to Yangon.
"AmeriCares is working closely with the World Health Organization to help
coordinate relief efforts and ensure aid is distributed to the delta regions
most affected by Cyclone Nargis. Our relief expert on the ground has extensive
experience based on our response to the 2004 tsunami disaster," said Curt
Welling, president and chief executive officer of AmeriCares.
Reports continue to highlight the growing need for medical assistance as
health care professionals on the ground observe an increased need to treat
malaria, dengue fever, and diarrheal diseases, as well as other medical
emergencies resulting from digesting contaminated water.
AmeriCares is mobilizing additional disaster relief experts to the region.
The group's manager of emergency response has been in Bangkok all week working
to procure additional emergency relief supplies, participating in logistics
meetings with the UN and other nonprofit organizations to coordinate relief
efforts staged out of Thailand.
"AmeriCares is working around the clock to obtain additional visas into
Myanmar in order to distribute our first airlift to those most affected. We
are in the process of planning additional shipments of essential supplies,
including water purification sachets and supplement anti-malaria medications,
which are also included in our airlift currently awaiting clearance from
Myanmar to depart Schiphol airport in Amsterdam," said Curt Welling.
To learn more about how to donate to AmeriCares, visit:
www.americares.org.
About AmeriCares
AmeriCares is a private, nonprofit international disaster relief and
humanitarian aid organization, which delivers medicines, medical supplies and
aid to people in crisis around the world. Since it was established in 1982,
AmeriCares has distributed more than $7.5 billion in humanitarian aid to 137
countries. For more information, visit www.americares.org.
Contacts:
Peggy Atherlay
203-658-9626 (w)
203-524-2158 (c)
patherlay@americares.org

Kate Homan
202-585-2502 (w)
301-646-8849 (c)
khoman@webershandwick.com

SOURCE AmeriCares

Peggy Atherlay, +1-203-658-9626 - w, +1-203-524-2158 - c,
patherlay@americares.org; or Kate Homan, +1-202-585-2502 - w, +1-301-646-8849
- c, khoman@webershandwick.com, both for AmeriCares