Daily CSR
Daily CSR

Daily CSR
Daily news about corporate social responsibility, ethics and sustainability

Direct Relief and FedEx Strengthen Colombia’s Fight Against Yellow Fever and Dengue



09/04/2025


Direct Relief and FedEx Strengthen Colombia’s Fight Against Yellow Fever and Dengue
Colombia is facing a critical moment in its battle against disease outbreaks, and a partnership between Direct Relief and FedEx is proving vital in addressing the challenge.

For close to ten years, Direct Relief has collaborated with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to provide essential medical assistance across Central and South America, tailoring its efforts to the specific needs of each community. This long-standing cooperation has allowed both groups to respond rapidly when health crises emerge, such as the recent spike in yellow fever.

Between January and May 2025, yellow fever cases in Colombia rose to eight times the previous year’s levels, while dengue infections also increased, placing enormous pressure on healthcare providers. A major hurdle was the transport of patient samples to testing laboratories. Given Colombia’s vast geography, many rural areas are far from urban health centers, and samples often deteriorated during the trip. With cold chain storage lasting only about 48 hours, many results became unusable before reaching labs.

To overcome this barrier, Direct Relief quickly supplied ultra-cold freezers to Colombia, ensuring samples could be preserved long enough for accurate testing. These freezers are crucial for enabling healthcare workers to diagnose and treat patients before outbreaks spread further. However, getting this equipment to remote parts of the country required dependable logistics—a role FedEx was well equipped to fill. FedEx has long supported Direct Relief in transporting life-saving medical supplies, and the delivery of ultra-cold freezers continued that mission.

In June, 10 freezers were shipped as part of this effort, underscoring how Direct Relief and FedEx join forces to tackle South America’s toughest health threats. Their partnership demonstrates the strength of a responsive, resilient supply chain that can adapt to urgent circumstances.

By combining Direct Relief’s medical expertise with FedEx’s global logistics network, communities in Colombia are gaining the resources they need to confront disease outbreaks directly—delivering real, measurable impact in the fight to protect public health.

Click here  to know more about FedEx Cares.