When Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines Nov. 8 and the call for help went out, among the first to respond was Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), which has an ongoing relationship with the island-nation in the Pacific.
From its distribution center in Long Island City, CMMB began filling boxes with as much as $2 million worth of medical supplies that include surgical gloves, syringes and basic antibiotics that have been donated by major pharmaceutical suppliers.
Widespread Displacement
An estimated 10,000 people are feared dead. More than a half-million are displaced. Nearly 10 million people, including children, have been affected, and 4.3 million need immediate assistance.
CMMB already has sent three shipments of medicine and medical supplies this week.
Ralph Barberio, who manages the center in Queens, said that usually supplies are sent by ship, but because of the immediacy of the situation, these packages went by air.
Some of the airports are in good shape, said Adrian Kerrigan, a senior vice president with CMMB. “We have our established contacts in the Philippines and we’re working our supply routes.”
Kerrigan says that many of the areas served by CMMB are in the rural areas and places where people do not have access to hospitals. He explained that CMMB supplies small rural clinics.
CMMB had already been working with the Philippines because of the recent earthquake that hit there about a month ago.
In 2012, CMMB was commended by the Philippine Consulate in New York for its emergency aid work in connection with Typhoon Washi and Tropical Storm Sendong.
For more information about how to assist those suffering in the Philippines, log onto CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board): support.cmmb.org/philippines.
Donations will help to underwrite the cost of shipping food, medicine and medical supplies to the Philippines.
CMMB also is working to get 40 pallets of Meals Ready to Eat to the Philippines as soon as possible.
In addition to the Philippines Consul General, CMMB is working with the County Executive of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, along with their emergency management staffs.
CMMB, which is over 100 years old, says that 97 percent of its donations goes to its lifegiving programs.