In the wake of the earthquakes, the Tulipe Association and its member health companies and donors continue to mobilise. A second large-scale humanitarian operation was carried out on Saturday 18 February via the Crisis Centre. This time, the Syrian populations affected by the earthquakes will also benefit.
At a time when most of the search operations are coming to an end and the provisional death toll in Syria and Turkey has exceeded 44,000, an emergency cargo operation arrived in Gaziantep (Turkey) on Saturday carrying 40 tonnes of equipment. The cargo, intended to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, includes 1.5 tonnes of health products donated by the Tulipe association. Divided into 30 kits (canteens), these medicines will be used to treat up to 15,000 patients. The cargo also included emergency shelters, including 600 family tents financed by the Crisis and Support Centre to house nearly 3,000 people, 48 heaters, 20 generators, cables and electrical connection equipment donated by Electriciens sans frontières and its partners. Finally, more than 6 tonnes of powdered infant milk donated by the LACTALIS Group were also included.
Arrival of the cargo in Gaziantep (Turkey) on Saturday 18 February (Photo DR – Centre de crise et de soutien)
Three tonnes of health products sent urgently following the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
15 tonnes of this emergency aid will be handed over to the Turkish Disaster Agency (AFAD) and 25 tonnes to the International Office for Migration (IOM), which will distribute it to the Syrian population affected by the earthquake in the disaster areas. This operation, which is part of the European Union’s civil protection mechanism (MPCU), is being coordinated by the Crisis and Support Centre of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in Ankara, in conjunction with the Turkish authorities and the United Nations. Since the beginning of the disaster, the Tulipe association has sent 60 emergency and paediatric kits to relief NGOs or via the Crisis and Support Centre. This represents nearly 3 tonnes of health products.
Loading of humanitarian cargo on Saturday 18 February transported by the Crisis and Support Centre (DR – Crisis and Support Centre)
We must continue to mobilise to help the victims, because after the search and rescue operations come the care operations for the victims, with the installation of mobile clinics in particular. ” The situation is far from being under control locally, and faced with supply shortages, our partners are calling on us every day to meet their needs in public health centres”, explains Alexandre Laridan, Tulipe’s Director of Operations.
