Disaster relief and humanitarian shipments

International Health Partners has an active role to play in disaster relief situations, mobilising essential medicines to emergency workers in the field.

When disasters hit, pharmaceutical companies and the UK health care community want to act swiftly. Some do not have the processes and established relationships with aid agencies to allow them to donate a supply of their products and services safely and responsibly. By utilising connections with government, industry and those working in the field, IHP bridges this gap, helping to get life-saving aid quickly to where it is needed.

IHP has been actively involved in all of the recent disasters, indeed, on behalf of the UK, it was the largest donor of essential medicines, medical supplies and vaccines to Pakistan and Lebanon. For more information of IHP's activities please follow the links in the drop down menu above.

In times of disaster IHP liaises with the WHO's Health Cluster and international medical NGOs in order to identify and coordinate the assistance that donors from the UK can provide in terms of product, skills or financial donations.

• IHP posts the latest requirements on this website including the specific medicinal needs lists as they become available from the WHO and Ministry of Health;
• A link to the latest WHO situation report is posted on this IHP site;
• IHP solicits donations of the specific medicines that are required, consolidates the shipments and consigns donations to the Ministry of Health and/or the Country Representative of the WHO (as requested), thus ensuring immediate clearance through customs and safe and secure distribution to the areas of need;
• During the disaster response period IHP maintains ongoing (often daily) liaison with the Emergency Medicines Coordinating Team and WHO's Health Cluster members;
• IHP coordinates donations from the UK to ensure that only those medicines that are needed are sent. IHP also liaises with Canada and France - the only two other countries worldwide with coordination mechanisms; and
• Finally, IHP undertakes audits during and following the disaster to ensure that medicines are reaching the people for whom they are intended.

Click the links below for
WHO Guidelines on Drug Donations and
The Red Cross Code of Conduct

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This site was updated on 09.05.08