Geneva/Washington, March 1, 2024 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and direct relief organizations worked together to deliver medicines and medical supplies to migrants and their host communities in crisis. This cooperation, formalized through a global agreement signed today, marks a milestone in strengthening emergency medical responses for people affected by the crisis.
The partnership has already achieved a significant result with the delivery (February 29) of a fully equipped field hospital to support medical services provided by the Royal Jordanian Medical Service in Gaza. This valuable contribution includes 50 beds and 38 tents, as well as essential medical and surgical equipment and medicines essential for the treatment of patients in Gaza.
“Our partnership with Direct Relief opens the door to essential resources to get emergency medical supplies and supplies to those who need them, especially during times of crisis,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM's Deputy Director-General for Operations. ” he said. At the heart of this ground-breaking partnership is the provision of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare supplies. This critical support will strengthen IOM's ability to rapidly respond to the acute health needs of migrant and mobile populations during humanitarian and public health emergencies.
This partnership goes beyond immediate relief efforts to support emergency preparedness and response efforts. This includes working with IOM host countries to stockpile and pre-position medical supplies. IOM and Direct Relief aim to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of health systems in the face of crises by strengthening coordination and response mechanisms.
“Direct Relief is excited to partner with IOM to help address the tremendous humanitarian health needs that exist among migrants and their host communities around the world.” Chief Executive Officer Thomas Tai said. “Private philanthropic resources have always been an important part of humanitarian relief efforts for migrants, and through coordination with IOM, which optimizes all available resources and assistance, we are able to We look forward to inviting broader participation to best serve those in need.”
Additionally, this collaboration will expand the scope to include data collection and analysis in evacuation settings, enabling more effective decision-making and targeted response efforts. Through joint research and analysis, IOM and Direct Relief will better understand the challenges faced by migrants and mobile populations and provide evidence-based interventions.
As the partnership between IOM and Direct Relief takes shape, both organizations are working to improve healthcare access and health equity for migrants globally.
For more information, please contact us below.
IOM:
Washington: Stacey Cohan, scohan@iom.int
Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int
Direct Relief: Brea Burkholz, bburkholz@directrelief.org
