STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AmeriCares has awarded its annual Power of Partnership Award to Cardinal Health, one of the largest health care products and services companies in the world. AmeriCares President & CEO Curt Welling presented the award today at the Healthcare Distribution Management Association's (HDMA) Annual Leadership Forum in Orlando, Fla.

The Power of Partnership Award was created by AmeriCares and HDMA to recognize medical manufacturing and distribution organizations that have shown exceptional dedication to expanding access to medicines and health care for disadvantaged populations.

"We depend on our friends in the corporate world to support our disaster relief work and our ongoing medical assistance to more than 50 countries," Welling said. "It is because of partners like Cardinal Health that AmeriCares is able to help people in need around the world live longer, healthier lives."

Since 1996, Cardinal Health has donated more than $20 million worth of medical and surgical supplies to AmeriCares for people recovering from devastating natural disasters, facing civil conflict and suffering from extreme poverty.

"Cardinal Health is pleased to partner with AmeriCares to assist communities around the world. As a global health care company, we understand the importance of donating medical products and other resources for immediate use in times of disaster and for long-term humanitarian assistance," said Shelley Bird, executive vice president of Public Affairs for Cardinal Health and chairperson of the Cardinal Health Foundation. "AmeriCares is an excellent partner we can count on to get our products to the right place at the right time for those most in need."

Over the years, AmeriCares has delivered Cardinal Health products to people in need in 83 countries through its emergency response work, Medical Outreach Program and ongoing shipments to hospitals and clinics in the developing world.

"We are pleased to partner with AmeriCares to honor the Cardinal Health team for its extraordinary commitment to delivering lifesaving medicines, products and services to those in need," said HDMA President and CEO John M. Gray. "Our recent economic climate underscores the value of efforts of HDMA members like Cardinal Health, whose humanitarian leadership strengthens partnerships across the entire health care supply chain."

About AmeriCares

AmeriCares is a nonprofit international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $9 billion in humanitarian aid to 137 countries. For more information, log onto www.AmeriCares.org

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a Fortune 18 health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals and ambulatory care sites focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. As one of the largest health care companies in the world, Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 40,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.

About HDMA

HDMA is the national association representing primary health care distributors, the vital link in the health care system. Each business day, HDMA member companies ensure that more than 9 million prescription medicines and health care products are safely delivered to more than 165,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics and others nationwide. HDMA and its members work daily to provide value and contain costs, saving the nation's health care system an estimated $32 billion per year. For more information, visit www.HealthcareDistribution.org.

SOURCE AmeriCares