AmeriCares Relief Worker Arrives in Myanmar

STAMFORD, Conn., May. 10 /PRNewswire/ --

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