STAMFORD, Conn. and LOS ANGELES, March 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AmeriCares, a nonprofit international relief organization, is sending an airlift carrying more than $1.4 million worth of lifesaving medicines and medical supplies to its partner, International Medical Corps, to help Darfur refugees in Chad. The medical aid will help people in the refugee camps who are suffering from serious injuries, infections, diarrhea and chronic diseases, in addition to pre-natal vitamins for pregnant women. The shipment will leave AmeriCares headquarters in Stamford on Thursday, March 26 before continuing on to Chad. The airlift is part of AmeriCares and International Medical Corps' continued commitment to relieving suffering by improving access to medicines around the world, especially in areas like Darfur and neighboring Chad.

"AmeriCares is steadfast in its resolve to do everything we can to help the innocent victims of the ongoing conflict in Darfur," said Curt Welling, AmeriCares President & CEO, who has led the delivery of aid to the region since 2004. "I've witnessed the tragedy families in Chad and Darfur faced and have seen the impact humanitarian aid has on helping to restore health to the region. Protecting the world's most vulnerable people is at the very heart of humanitarian aid and the mission of AmeriCares."

Since 2004, AmeriCares has delivered six shipments containing more than 50 tons of critical medicines and medical supplies to Chad that have been valued at nearly $3 million. AmeriCares has partnered with International Medical Corps over the last two years to provide donated medicines for their health programs serving refugees and other vulnerable populations in Chad, Cameroon, Kenya, Liberia, Lebanon and Iraq. In Chad, International Medical Corps currently serves a population of nearly 225,000, including approximately 75,000 refugees, and provides primary care to the camps, as well as health programs for hospitals.

"We are profoundly appreciative of AmeriCares' generous contribution to our humanitarian efforts in Chad," says Nancy Aossey, President & CEO of International Medical Corps. "Their unwavering support allows us to go about our work of saving lives and creating healthy futures for thousands of men, women and children who otherwise would have to go without critical medicines and health care they need to survive and thrive."

About AmeriCares:
AmeriCares is a nonprofit international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs around the world.  Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $8 billion in humanitarian aid to 137 countries. For more information, log onto www.AmeriCares.org.

About International Medical Corps:
Since its inception 25 years ago, International Medical Corps' mission has been to relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training. This approach of helping people help themselves is critical to returning devastated populations to self-reliance. For more information visit our website at www.imcworldwide.org.

AmeriCares

AmeriCares

AmeriCares is a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in need around the world and across the United States. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $10 billion in humanitarian aid to 147 countries. For more information, visit www.AmeriCares.org.

More from AmeriCares