WHO Director General: We will supply Syria with essential medical equipment to address the needs of quake-affected people

Director General of the World Health organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday arrived in Syria’s Aleppo in the aftermath of the earthquake that occurred last Monday.

He is to visit some hospitals and temporarily shelter centers together with Syria’s health minister and the governor of Aleppo to be briefed on the health conditions of the citizens injured in the earthquake.

Upon his arrival at Aleppo International Airport, Ghebreyesus said “we will supply Syria with essential medical equipment to address the needs of quake-affected people.

“We have brought 35 tons of vital medical supplies that are necessary to address the basic needs of the injured people due to the earthquake and in the coming two days, a second plane carrying 30 tons of medical supplies will arrive in the country, he added.

Ghebreyesus, accompanied by Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghabbash and Aleppo Governor, visited the neighborhoods that were affected by the earthquake, and he was briefed on the rescue and rubble removal operations in several Aleppo neighborhoods.

The WHO director general also visited two temporary shelter centers in Al-Halak and Al-Fourqan neighborhoods where he was briefed on the conditions of the quake-affected people.

Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghabbash said that Ghebreyesus’ visit is important to see the damage caused by the earthquake and the actual shortage of medical equipment and medicines in the hospitals.

Hamda Mustafa