Additionally, Secretary Leavitt noted that nearly 100 tons in vital medications and supplies have been shipped since last weekend and currently are being distributed. For example, a 12-hour Push Package was delivered to Mississippi this morning that contained a broad spectrum of medical supplies and 100,000 doses of antibiotics.

"The health care needs in the region are immense, and we are working as quickly as we can to get the medical care and supplies to the people who so desperately need them," Secretary Leavitt said. "These facilities augment the medical services being provided and nearly 100 tons of supplies this Department has shipped already to the Gulf region. Additional shelters we will open in the coming days."

The first ten shelters will be located at Fort Polk, La. (4 Federal Medical Shelters); Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (2 Federal Medical Shelters); Meridian Naval Air Station, Miss. (2 Federal Medical Shelters); and Mississippi National Air Guard Facility (2 Federal Medical Shelters). Each shelter has a 250-bed capacity, and HHS will provide the equipment and supplies needed to support each shelter. Up to 40 medical shelters will be created.

Five hundred US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers are traveling over Friday night to the medical shelters. Each shelter will require three large semi-trucks of equipment and supplies. HHS, DoD, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) will staff the shelters with the necessary healthcare and support personnel. Each shelter will require a staff of 150.

HHS' National Institutes of Health (NIH) also announced a number of steps to assist with the medical needs in the Gulf region. NIH is setting up a telemedicine consultation and triage facility on the NIH campus that will serve as a medical specialty service to all 40 Federal Medical Shelters on the ground. This will focus on the sickest of the sick and link to expertise and care at NIH and 125 medical centers throughout the country.

In addition, NIH is organizing a volunteer task force that will staff a medical field unit to assist in the disaster area. NIH will provide a comprehensive, integrated team of experts on the ground, including medical specialists, nurses, information technology experts, and administrators.

Finally, NIH has made 50 beds available and up to 100 in the coming days in its hospital, as part of their disaster surge capacity capabilities.

"NIH is doing what it does best--caring for the sickest of the sick," said NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni. "Our disease specialists and hospital staff are partnering with medical centers around the country to give expert advice and care to hurricane victims with the most challenging medical conditions."

To date, the Department has taken the following steps to address this emergency:

HHS continues rushing medical supplies, medical personnel and public health expertise to the Gulf region to meet the needs of evacuees and victims of Hurricane Katrina.

* Secretary Mike Leavitt has declared a Federal Public Health Emergency.
* HHS is making available all its public health and emergency response capabilities to help state and local officials provide care and assistance to victims of this hurricane.
* Evacuation of patients from New Orleans hospitals began Thursday. Hospitals across the nation participating in the NDMS are making beds available as part of the medical response.