Find resources and situation updates here along with information specific to medical outreach. Resources include general guidelines for humanitarian response in emergencies as well as tools with information on current emergencies. Access information provided by US and international sources, such as the CDC, NIH and WHO and learn how you can help.
Over the past year since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 41,000 people have been reported killed and nearly 97,000 injured in Gaza. In Israel, 1,200 people were reported killed and more than 5,000 injured.
An estimated 1.9 million people are displaced in Gaza—about 90 percent of the population. Those displaced are living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters without access to basic necessities like clean water and adequate nutrition, heightening health concerns.
“The situation is absolutely dire—tens of thousands of families need food, clean water and shelter—and hospitals are running out of fuel. Our support will help health facilities continue operating and providing essential health services to children and adults most impacted by this crisis.”
– Deputy Senior Vice President of Emergency Programs Provash Budden
There are already more than 1.7 million reported cases of infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin infections and meningitis, according to the World Health Organization. In July, polio was detected in wastewater and a case of polio was confirmed, the first in Gaza in 25 years. Nearly 560,000 children under the age of 10 were vaccinated against polio during the first round of an emergency vaccination campaign currently underway in Gaza. Additional vaccination efforts continue.
Our Response
Over the past year, Americares has worked to address the urgent health needs of children and adults affected by the crisis.
We are working with partner organizations with staff on the ground in Gaza to increase access to medicine, medical supplies and mental health support for frontline health care providers and survivors.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/israel-gaza-conflict/
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria in the early morning hours of February 6, followed by a second powerful quake and more than 100 aftershocks, killing at least 50,000 people, injuring tens of thousands, collapsing countless buildings, and posing a staggering humanitarian crisis in a region already struggling with manmade crises from years of war, refugees fleeing conflict and economic instability. It was the strongest earthquake in the region in nearly a century and the aftershocks continue with the recent quakes causing more panic and death. The death toll rose as massive rescue operations transitioned to search and recovery and the winter cold threatened survivors. The disaster has affected millions of people in the region as many lack food, water and shelter. With major damage to health facilities in Türkiye and Syria, access to basic health care becomes an immediate concern.
Americares is offering assistance to partner organizations in Türkiye and Syria, focusing on support services that restore access to health care for displaced families and delivering medicines and relief supplies for health workers treating survivors.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/turkey-and-syria-earthquakes/
On the morning of February 24th, 2022, Russian forces launched a multi-pronged invasion by land, air, and sea on Ukraine. The deadly conflict continues unabated. Even as Ukrainian forces made significant ground gains, strikes by Russia against Ukraine on civilian targets exacerbated concern for humanitarian needs in winter.
One year later, 17.7 million people need humanitarian assistance and nearly 8 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe. In Ukraine, 6.3 million people are internally displaced, and 6.9 million people are sheltering in place. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reports that from February 24 to December 26, 2022, 6,884 civilians in Ukraine had been killed and 10,974 injured. The real numbers are likely much higher.
A year of war has caused widespread destruction, reducing some cities to rubble, damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands of homes along with critical infrastructure and leaving millions of people with limited or no access to electricity, water or heat. Many people are living either in collective centers or damaged buildings, without basic needs for daily life and vulnerable to a range of health threats. Internally displaced persons living in collective centers are most at risk with the majority being women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Overall, an estimated 14.5 million people in Ukraine need health assistance.
Americares is meeting health needs of children and adults affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through its support of local organizations in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.
To download a pdf of the report on our work in Ukraine in the first year, CLICK HERE.
People living in Ukraine face barriers to care: a shrinking health workforce (due to safety concerns and displacement), rising health care costs, declining or disappearing incomes and mass displacement. The WHO reports roughly one-third of people in active combat zones or Russian-controlled areas report they cannot access the medicines they need. Children and adults are going without vital vaccines, and people with chronic conditions – such as diabetes or dementia – have suffered dangerous interruptions in care.
Since the start of the war, we have provided total aid valued at more than $70 million to 74 local organizations assisting those affected by the war. Aid includes grants and shipments of medicine and medical supplies, including those delivered by volunteer Medical Outreach teams.
To date, Americares has awarded over 78 emergency grants valued at $3.6 million to 53 organizations working in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine.
In the coming months, Americares will continue to support local organizations with medicine, medical and relief supplies and technical support, including training.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/conflict-in-ukraine/
The COVID-19 outbreak, first reported in Wuhan China in December 2019 exploded into a Global Pandemic within weeks. After three years of the Pandemic, as “pandemic fatigue” pushes many to put aside preventive measures, vaccines have saved many lives.
Global COVID Snapshot
World deaths from COVID have reached more than 6 million (with experts including W.H.O estimating a much higher toll). Resistance to vaccine continues to challenge progress in finally defeating this highly contagious virus. Nearly 15 million more people died during the first two years of the Pandemic than has been reported, the W.H.O. found. READ MORE about this report on the COVID death toll in this CNN story.
Compounding the catastrophic death toll, globally, more than 10.5 million children have lost one or both of their parents during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly double the previous estimates, according to a research letter published in JAMA Pediatrics. Southeast Asia and Africa suffered the greatest rate of losses, with one out of every 50 children affected. In the Americas, this number dropped to one out of 150 children. Children in countries with lower vaccination rates and higher numbers of children per mother were more likely to be affected.
https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/coronavirus-global-health-emergency/
General Resources:
CDC COVID-19 FAQ
CDC Guidance If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone
CDC PPE Sequencing Guide
CDC Germ Prevention Poster
Pulse Oximeter Use in COVID-19 (Lifebox)
WHO Module: COVID-19 Preparedness, Readiness and IPC
WHO Module: COVID-19 Epidemiology, Risk factors, Definitions and Symptomology
WHO Module: IPC in context of COVID-19
WHO Home Care for Suspected Patients
Surgical Resources:
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland COVID-19 (coronavirus) Surgical Practice
From Advances in Surgery and the Johnson & Johnson Institute
American College of Surgeons COVID-19 and Surgery: Resources for the surgical community
American College of Surgeons Roadmap for Maintaining Essential Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists “Anesthesia Care of the Patient with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”
American Society of Anesthesiologists “COVID-19 Information”
Ti, L.K., Ang, L.S., Foong, T.W. et al. What we do when a COVID-19 patient needs an operation: operating room preparation and guidance. Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth (2020).
Migration: More than 4 million people have fled Venezuela since 2014 to escape extreme food and medicine shortages, violence and political instability. More than half of the people fleeing have gone to Colombia, which has received more than 1.4 million people from Venezuela since 2014, according to the Colombian Government.
Health Care: Pharmacies and hospitals in Venezuela have severe shortages of medicine and supplies and inadequate staffing as medical professionals leave the country. Even in locations where medical services are available in Venezuela, falling wages and hyperinflation have put medical care out of reach for many families. The collapse of the health care system has exacerbated health conditions for the migrant population with many going months without care.
Response: Americares has set up clinics in towns near the border or where Venezuelans have settled to meet the primary health care needs of migrants who may arrive with dangerous health conditions such as high blood pressure that has gone untreated.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/ep-colombia-venezuela-border-crisis/
Hurricane Dorian, the second most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record, smashed into the Bahamas and for 40 hours lashed Grand Bahama, the Abacos and other smaller northern islands with winds of 180 mph and more, 40 inches of rain and 20 foot storm surge. This catastrophic Category 5 storm left at least 50 confirmed dead with hundreds of people missing, many thousands are homeless with thousands of homes and other buildings including medical facilities seriously damaged or completely destroyed.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/hurricane-dorian/
The historic 2017 Atlantic hurricane season produced 17 named storms, most notably Harvey, Irma, and Maria that left hundreds dead, destroyed communities across the southern U.S. and Caribbean and caused an estimated $265 billion in damage – the most expensive hurricane season on record. Hurricane Harvey set a new mark for the most rainfall from a U.S. tropical storm. Hurricane Irma became one of the strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricanes ever recorded. Hurricane Maria was the most powerful hurricane to make landfall on the main island of Puerto Rico in 85 years.
For more information, click here: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/ep-hurricanes2017/