QRCS $1 mn initial intervention for Turkey, Syria

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) allocated USD1 million from its Disaster Response Fund to start emergency relief interventions for the benefit of earthquake-affected people in Turkey and northern Syria.

A USD10 million fundraising humanitarian campaign was also launched to expand the relief intervention in health care, shelter, water and sanitation, and food.

QRCS's representation mission in Turkey deployed four mobile clinics in Idlib, Al Dana, western Aleppo countryside, and Jisr Al Shughur to provide emergency medical services (EMS) and psychological support for affected people at temporary shelters.

QRCS is planning to deploy specialist medical professionals from Doha to northern Syria, in order to provide EMS to the victims and support hospitals and health centers in the specialties of general surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, ophthalmology, anesthesia, and mental health.

Meanwhile, Qatari international search and rescue group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) started search and rescue operations, in coordination with the Turkish local authorities, in the earthquake-affected areas in southern Turkey.

The Qatari rescue group is supported by specialized mechanisms and equipment, in addition to a field hospital, relief aid, tents and winter supplies.