US Embassy and Islamic Relief Distribute $5 Million of Medicines to Needy in Burkina Faso

International aid organization Islamic Relief has partnered with the US Embassy in Burkina Faso to provide over $5 million of much-needed medicines to the West African country. US Ambassador Jeanine Jackson handed the medicines over to the Ministry of Health at a ceremony on June 15, 2007.

"I am particularly pleased that a public-private partnership -- that of Islamic Relief USA and the US Government -- and with the valuable assistance of the World Health Organization -- has been able to provide much needed medicines for use by the Ministry of Health throughout Burkina Faso to fight a variety of diseases," said Ambassador Jackson at the ceremony.

The medicines provided can potentially help treat tens of thousands of individuals with various ailments. The shipment includes anti-bacterial drugs to treat infections, anthelminthics to treat intestinal worm infections, analgesics, anti-fungal and other medicines.

In handing the donation over to the Health Minister, Amb. Jackson said, "Mr. Minister, in the name of the Government of the United States and Islamic Relief USA, I hereby donate these medicines to the people of Burkina Faso. I am sure these medicines will help improve the health of many men, women and children."

After recognizing the need for urgently needed medical supplies in Burkina Faso, Islamic Relief worked quickly to assemble the shipment of medicines. This is Islamic Relief's first aid shipment to Burkina Faso.

"We are pleased to provide this much-needed shipment of aid supplies to the people of Burkina Faso with the help and partnership of the US Embassy in the country," said Ahmad El Bendary, Islamic Relief's founder and advisor to the board. "There is a great deal of humanitarian assistance that is needed for the country."

Burkina Faso is listed as the fourth poorest country under the United Nations' Human Development Report. The average life expectancy for a male is 48 years (compared to 75 years in the US) and the gross national income per capita is only $1,220 (in the US it is $41,950).

With a poor existing health system, the delivery of these medicines will provide much-needed relief to many Burkinabe, as its people are called. Islamic Relief has sent aid shipments to various African countries in the last year, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan (including Darfur and the South), and Mali.

* *Notes for media professionals* *

Islamic Relief USA (http://www.irw.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization, incorporated in the state of California in 1993. We are a member of the Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) family, an international relief and development organization, striving to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the world's poorest people. Over the past 23 years, IRW has expanded greatly, with permanent locations in 37 countries worldwide.

Islamic Relief operates a wide variety of projects, including education and training, water and sanitation, income generation, orphan support, health and nutrition, and emergency relief.

For the fourth consecutive year, Islamic Relief USA has been recognized as a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator, its highest rating. Out of the 5,131 charities evaluated, only 4% have received this prestigious distinction for four years in a row. Charity Navigator is America's largest charity evaluator.