Airlift of Medicine Arrives in Darfur

Nyala, Sudan - 26 Oct 2004 -   More than thirty tons of badly needed medicine was airlifted to the Darfur region of western Sudan, where at least 70,000 people have died in the past year.

“It’ll be put to good use,” said Mark Fritz, a Sudan spokesman for the International Rescue Committee, which received roughly two-thirds of the medical supplies.  “There’s a dire need for more drugs.”

The 36 tons of water-purification chemicals and disease-fighting compounds was donated to International Rescue Committee and Save the Children health facilities by the relief group AmeriCares.   It arrived by aircraft on Oct. 26.

More than 1.8 million people have been displaced by the conflict in Darfur, which has resulted in what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.