Turkey and Syria, the SUEZ Foundation supports Médecins Sans Frontières

Since February 8th, MSF has been distributing food and relief kits to several shelters in the cities of Kilis and Gaziantep, in partnership with IBC (International Blue Crescent) and the Turkish Red Crescent. The emergency relief phase is over, but the needs of the population remain considerable. In the affected areas, more than 200,000 people are living in extremely precarious conditions.

The population urgently needs shelter, food and heating (the area experienced freezing temperatures and a heavy snowfall in the first days of the disaster). In Gaziantep, near the Syrian border and the quake’s epicenter, the needs and damage are considerable: several hospitals are no longer functional and the electricity is not working. MSF makes medical donations to health facilities in the affected areas and also distributes essential goods and thousands of meals. Moreover, MSF is providing material and financial assistance in cooperation with its local partners Al ameen and IBC (International Blue Crescent).

The earthquakes have officially killed 6,000 people and injured over 10,000 in Syria.

In northwestern Syria, 1,764 buildings were destroyed and 5,771 partially destroyed, leaving 11,000 families homeless. MSF had already been present in northwestern and northeastern Syria for several years, which allowed  a rapid response from teams. The disaster has worsened an already desperate humanitarian situation. Out of the 370 hospitals in northwestern Syria, around 50 have been destroyed, making it even more difficult for people to access healthcare. The 180,000 people, who have been displaced by the earthquake, are in addition to the two million people who were already living in extremely precarious conditions due to the country’s decade-long civil war.

Since the beginning of the emergency, MSF has provided immediate support, particularly in the governorates of Idlib and Aleppo:

• Distribution of emergency medical kits, blankets, medical equipment and reinforcement of medical teams with MSF nurses, surgeons and emergency doctors in 38 health structures and for 90 ambulances;
• Deployment of ambulances and several shelters (made available to the population) in which MSF teams set up mobile clinics and psychological support;
• donation of blankets and survival kits, to the victims of the earthquakes.