Large donation of medical-grade oral rehydration solution will reduce mortality rate of dehydration in Tacloban, area hardest hit by November typhoon
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Just weeks after returning from relief efforts in Tacloban, Philippines, Drip Drop Inc., makers of the first oral rehydration solution (ORS) to combine medical standards of rehydration therapy and excellent taste, announced it will donate 15,000 doses of its product to assist in ongoing aid efforts. Drip Drop ORS will be sent to Remedios Trinidad Romualdez (RTR) Hospital in Tacloban, a privately funded medical facility at the center of the Typhoon Yolanda disaster response. Doctors, nurses, and relief workers will use Drip Drop ORS to treat dehydration resulting from heat, exposure, and gastrointestinal complications brought on by the spread of waterborne disease.
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"Timely use of Drip Drop ORS in the Philippines can significantly reduce the risk of death and suffering from these horrendous conditions," said Anne Kallin Zehren, CEO of Drip Drop. "Just because the cameras have gone away, does not mean there isn't work to be done, or patients with extreme needs. We are truly humbled by the wide scale devastation – families without homes or fresh water – and are so grateful to our donors for making this relief effort possible."
In addition to donating critical medical supplies, Drip Drop is coordinating with local, state, and federal officials to prepare the island of Leyte for an outbreak of infectious illness. After a week of first-hand observation in Tacloban and the surrounding areas, Drip Drop's team of doctors, nurses, and public health specialists identified a high risk of future casualties from cholera, norovirus, rotovirus or other diseases that cause acute diarrhea and dehydration.
"Leyte's stagnant water and the damaged water and sewage infrastructure will inevitably lead to a sharp increase in post-disaster dehydration," added Dr. Eduardo Dolhun, Drip Drop's Founder and Chief Humanitarian Officer. "A coordinated response by governmental, non-governmental agencies, and the Philippine private sector can save thousands of lives. We must act now."
In the coming weeks and months, Drip Drop will be working closely with local and international bodies to make RTR Hospital a stronghold for dehydration care in Tacloban.
Drip Drop's origins date back to the front lines of humanitarian relief. As a student at the Mayo Medical School, Drip Drop Founder Dr. Eduardo Dolhun witnessed ORS save lives during a cholera outbreak in Guatemala. Since then, Dr. Dolhun has spent over a decade researching and improving upon ORS. From these roots, Drip Drop has been used in relief operations ranging from Haiti to Pakistan, The Republic of the Congo, and the United States.
To find out more about Drip Drop's efforts to save lives, please visit www.DripDrop.com
Source: Drip Drop Inc.