IBC SYRIA CORONA PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY SUPPORT WORKS CONTINUE

IBC started to work in 5 Quarantine Hospitals and Camps which are determined in Northern Syria within the framework of Covid-19 Emergency Prevention and Support Project. As a support to the Syrian task force; the first group of aid materials, consisting of 100 thousand Mask, 10 thousand disinfection kit, 1000 Corona detection Kit, 500 Digital fever meter, 5000 box gloves, are delivered this week by Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health. Covid-19 trainings are organized in camps and hospitals.

The world-shaking Corona Virus Covid-19 outbreak has been a serious threat to Syria, that has been under the shadow of civil war and conflicts for 10 years. International Blue Crescent, which has been implementing relief projects to support millions of refugees who have experienced internal migration and crossing borders since the first days, has implemented the Covid-19 struggle plan in Northern Syria. Thanks to the Corona emergency response plan, we have reached the hospitals and camps in the region such as Azaz Vatan (200 beds), Al Bab (150 Beds), Çobanbey (200 beds) Afrin (150 beds), Marre (80 beds). This plan can be applied to Idlib and its surroundings.

Internal migrants, whose number exceeded 3 million in northern Syria, have been scattered in camps for the last 8 years. An epidemic that will begin in these camps which are now small cities that have extremely unfavorable conditions, has become a threat that can affect hundreds of thousands of people in a short time. In the safe area in the region which is supported by Turkey, there are hospitals where Turkish and Syrian doctors work together to help people who live in the camps. In addition to that, with the help of various local civil organizations, the health problems of people living in these camps are examined.

Turkish Red Crescent supplies health and necessity to the region. Every day, Syrian and Turkish doctors continue to work in health centers. There are no positive Corona cases detected in Northern Syria so far. Tests performed Adana and Gaziantep, in Turkey are determined results. The test are made and resulted in Gaziantep, Adana in Turkey. IBC International Emergency Projects Director Levent Recep Ozturk and Syrian Projects Coordinator Asaf Mohammad created the Corona Emergency Support team with a special permit from the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health to work in coordination with Syria Health Force. The team began to work in hospitals and camps.

On March 3, 2020, with the support of Penny Appeal, which is one of IBC’s donor,  after the meetings were held with Turkey Ministry of Health Syria Task Force, IBC Corona Emergency Support team, took the necessary training to prevent Covid-19 then started to distribute medical supplies, disinfectants, gloves, masks and Corona fixing kits.

As of March 5, IBC, which has visited the camps in Northern Syria and made the needs assesments, distributed 2000 hygiene kits consisting of soap, detergent, disinfectant, pad, toothbrush and toothpaste. At the same time, the IBC subject their staff to Covid-19 prevention training and launched Covid-19 prevention training in camps with healthcare professionals and volunteers who are assigned by the IBC Syrian Health Force.

On the other hand, within the scope of the fight against Corona, 100 tents were settled in gardens of clinics for assesment and pre-isolation, 50 of tents were set up in the determined hospitals and clinics.

As of the first week of April, 100 thousand N95 masks, 10 thousand disinfectant kits, 1000 Corona detection kits, 5000 pack of protective gloves and 500 digital fever meter distributions will be started.

Until the end of April, it is planned to distribute 300 thousand masks, 5000 detection kits, 40 thousand disinfectant kits, 2000 digital thermometers and 15 thousand packs of gloves.