Americares India Joins Cyclone Biparjoy Response

Mumbai – June 30, 2023 – Americares India staff will today begin treating survivors of Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat in an effort to provide care to an estimated 2,000 survivors of the storm, which caused widespread flooding and forced families from their homes. An Americares India physician is currently embedded with a medical team from Blind People’s Association, Kutch district working in Kutch district of Gujarat along with an Americares India logistics expert. Americares also plans to deploy staff to support a similar medical team organized by Samerth Charitable Trust starting July 4.

Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall in Gujarat earlier this month, leaving more than 100,000 people displaced and nearly 8,700 homes destroyed, resulting in increased health, water, sanitation, hygiene and shelter needs.

Each team is expected to provide primary care services and treat flood-related water and vector-borne diseases at schools, clinics or community centers for 10 days. Americares is also working with partner organizations to distribute relief supplies to affected households, including emergency kits that include items such as essential hygiene products and water and sanitation provisions that are expected to support 11,200 survivors.

“The Americares India teams will help provide survivors with essential health care needs in the aftermath of this devastating cyclone,” said Americares India Country Director Meenakshi Batra. “The two medical camps will help survivors in local communities, with the hope of reaching about 100 people each day.”

Since its founding in Mumbai in 2006, Americares India has been supporting health services for families affected by severe storms, disease outbreaks and other emergencies across the country. The organization also operates 13 mobile health centers that provide primary care services in four states as well as a successful school-based health program reaching 50,700 children across 176 schools. The Americares India team has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cyclone Fani in Odisha in 2019, the 2016 floods in Assam and Bihar and conducted long-term health systems recovery in Tamil Nadu after the 2015 floods.