Islamic Relief USA Delivers Medical Shipment to Libya for 300,000 Patients

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Islamic Relief USA, a relief and development organization based in the D.C. metro area, has announced the arrival of its medical shipment to the Libyan city of Tripoli.  In collaboration with the Libyan Ministry of Health, with this aid, Islamic Relief USA is working to help fulfill one of the population's most dire needs—medical care.

Among the pressing challenges in Libya today are the critical shortages in medicine and medical supplies.  According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases are an especially important health concern in the country, the prevalence of which has been exacerbated by the recent brutal conflict.  Chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes account for an increasing segment of the disease burden in the country, draining the health-care system's resources.

The shipment, sent in collaboration with the Qatari Red Crescent, contains medicine and medical supplies sufficient for the treatment of 300,000 patients for a period of one year.  The Libyan Health Ministry is currently spearheading the effort to distribute the shipment to various Libyan hospitals and clinics. 

"The war in Libya has affected every facet of Libyan society," said Abed Ayoub, CEO of Islamic Relief USA.  "However, one of the most devastating effects of the war has been on the health of average civilians.  Whether they were injured in the conflict or they're suffering from lack of necessary medicine to treat a chronic disease, medicine is scarce.  We hope our current shipment will help in alleviating the burden on Libyan hospitals."

Since the inception of the conflict, Islamic Relief USA has launched various humanitarian efforts to provide assistance to civilians affected by the violence.  Its food distribution project in Tunisia provided weekly food packets to more than 10,000 Libyan refugees in Tatouine, and its partnership with the World Health Organization funded the deployment of nurses and expatriate Libyan doctors to hospitals and health facilities in Benghazi and Misratah. In addition, Islamic Relief USA funded provision of essential medications, medical supplies and ambulances to Benghazi and Tobruk. 

Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization with eight consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator. Its mission is to alleviate suffering, hunger, illiteracy and disease regardless of color, race, gender or creed, and to provide aid in a compassionate and dignified manner. Islamic Relief USA aims to provide rapid relief in the event of human and natural disasters and to establish sustainable local development projects, allowing communities to better help themselves.  In 2010, Islamic Relief USA programs benefited more than 3.4 million people in 34 countries, including the United States.

In addition to its 4-star rating on Charity Navigator, Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system.   Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

MEDIA CONTACT: Asma Yousef, 703.582.5880, [email protected]

SOURCE Islamic Relief USA