SAMARITAN'S PURSE BEGINS LIFE-SAVING SURGICAL CARE IN MYANMAR EARTHQUAKE ZONE

, /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Samaritan's Purse began surgical operations at an existing temporary medical unit in Naypyidaw, the capital city of Myanmar, located in the Mandalay region. A team of doctors and nurses are providing life-saving care at the unit while the organization's disaster response specialists finish setting up a full-scale Emergency Field Hospital. The 60-bed hospital will be equipped with an emergency room, laboratory, pharmacy, critical care unit, and two operating rooms where dozens of surgeries can be performed daily. The surgical needs in the area are overwhelming with nearly 100 earthquake victims already waiting for surgery at this location. 

"Speed is critical after a deadly earthquake like the one that rocked Myanmar," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "We praise God that we are already able to provide surgery even while we are still building the full field hospital. We want every patient to know that God loves them and they are not alone. Please pray for everyone affected and for our Disaster Assistance Response Team as they serve those who are hurting in Jesus' Name."

The international relief organization airlifted the Emergency Field Hospital to Myanmar just days after the deadly 7.7 earthquake struck the region on March 28. With over 3,500 confirmed deaths and thousands more injured or missing, people are in desperate need of emergency medical care.

The N.C.-based organization is also scaling up its response to include providing clean water, emergency shelter material, solar lights, hygiene kits, and other relief supplies. A 747-cargo plane loaded with more than 104 tons of critical supplies, including six water filtration systems, left Greenville, South Carolina, yesterday afternoon. Samaritan's Purse currently has more than 80 Disaster Assistance Response Team members in Myanmar, with more expected to arrive in the coming days.

ABOUT SAMARITAN'S PURSE
Based in Boone, North Carolina, Samaritan's Purse responds to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations—especially in locations where few others are working. Led by President and CEO Franklin Graham, Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org.

SOURCE Samaritan's Purse