AstraZeneca has committed over $700,000 to helping the the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies build their strengths in emergency response by supporting the setting up of a new logistics and supply centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Asian tsunami was a devastating natural disaster, the scale of which shocked the world – but the sad truth is that it was only one of an increasing number of natural and man-made disasters worldwide. Between 1999 and 2003 the number of disasters grew by 64% to an average of over 700 a year, and the number of people affected rose to over 300 million a year (Red Cross World Disasters Report 2004).

The need for rapid and effective disaster response is greater than ever and the widespread devastation caused by the tsunami highlighted in particular the need for international relief organisations to be better prepared for any similar large-scale events in the future.

Recognising this, during 2005 the Red Cross undertook a strategic review of its emergency response activities and identified the benefits to be gained from developing and expanding their logistics and supply network in key areas. This would provide greater geographic coverage and enable rapid delivery of a more complete disaster response package to those affected by an emergency.

With the help of funding from AstraZeneca, the charity has established a new regional emergency response hub in Kuala Lumpur which is focused on ensuring essential supplies are quickly available to the region at all times. The Asia Pacific region spans 30 countries, including China, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and is one of the most disaster prone areas on earth, with around 60% of all natural disasters occurring there. At any one time, the Kuala Lumpur operation will hold emergency stocks for up to 12,000 people and the facility will be able to support a further 100,000 people by providing specialised items such as warehouse tents and 4x4 vehicles that form an essential part of the Red Cross emergency relief supply chain during a disaster.

This project broadens our partnership with the Red Cross, which includes support to a community-based programme that is helping to combat TB in the high incidence areas of Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.