Starting June 1, millions of people in the United States Gulf States, Central America, Haiti and other Caribbean countries will be on high alert as the 2010 hurricane season officially begins. Experts are predicting a significant Atlantic hurricane season, with an expected 15 named storms, eight hurricanes, four Major Hurricanes and a 70 percent probability that a major hurricane will make landfall in the U.S. Direct Relief International is leading the effort to help community health centers in vulnerable areas across the Gulf Coast by shipping 30 Hurricane Preparedness Modules to healthcare facilities in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Direct Relief is also deploying 12 International Hurricane Preparedness Modules to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, up from eight in 2009.

The U.S. Preparedness Modules are designed to serve 100 people for three to five days, and each International Module can serve up to 1,000 people for one month. The Preparedness Modules are provided free of charge.

While emergency and basic medical supplies are a critical component of Direct Relief's Hurricane Modules, hurricane and other emergency situations can separate people from life-saving daily medications. The Modules contain traditional medical materials like bandages and antibiotics as well as medicines for chronic health conditions such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension, with a variety of the supplies donated by sponsors like Abbott, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) and Anda.

In 2006, Direct Relief partnered with the global health care company Abbott to develop this strategic approach to emergency relief. Direct Relief and Abbott also worked together to expand the reach of the program to include the Caribbean countries of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Jamaica in 2008.

"Since we started our Hurricane Preparedness program in areas affected by hurricanes and tropical storms, our effort has expanded into a collaboration with a number of major medical manufacturers to provide the more than 150 types of critical supplies and medicines now included," said Thomas Tighe, CEO and President, Direct Relief International. "We have also developed advanced data and mapping technologies to help identify where health support is most needed along U.S. storm evacuation routes."

"We literally received our Hurricane Prep Pack two days before Hurricane Dolly struck on July 23rd of 2008," said Rolando Martinez, Executive Director, Guadalupe Health Center (GHC) in Harlingen, Texas. "The supplies that Direct Relief sent were not only greatly appreciated by our staff but, most importantly, by our patients. We are extremely grateful for the wonderful effort put forth by Direct Relief in sending us these supplies when we needed them most."

In response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January, leaving millions of people displaced, two additional modules will be pre-positioned in Port-au-Prince at Direct Relief's Haiti warehouse.

The deployment of U.S. Hurricane Prep Packs are part of Direct Relief USA, a safety-net support program launched by Direct Relief International, to address the medical needs of the more than 46 million uninsured individuals in the U.S. who struggle to access affordable medicines. To date, Direct Relief USA-the largest program of its kind in the U.S.-has provided over $200 million (wholesale) worth of medicines and supplies to more than 1,100 partner clinics and health center entities in the U.S. This assistance includes more than 10 million needed prescriptions.

About Direct Relief International

Founded in 1948, Direct Relief is a Santa Barbara, California-based nonprofit organization focused on improving quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct Relief has provided more than $1 billion in privately funded humanitarian aid since 2000, including more than $150 million in assistance in the United States. It has earned a fundraising efficiency score of 99 percent or better from Forbes for the past eight years, and is ranked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as California's largest international nonprofit organization based on private support. For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org.

Abbott

Abbott

About Abbott and the Abbott Fund

The Abbott Fund is a philanthropic foundation established by Abbott in 1951. The Abbott Fund's mission is to create healthier global communities by investing in creative ideas that promote science, expand access to health care and strengthen communities worldwide. For more information, visit www.abbottfund.org.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at www.abbott.com.

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