On Monday 20th Feb, a new earthquake (6.4 magnitude, followed by an aftershock of 5.8) hit Turkiye and Syria once again.
Throughout, and since day one of the first earthquake a week prior, Doctors Worldwide’s teams continue to provide medical aid through hospital tents, mobile medical clinics and medication. So far, we have deployed 41 turkish medical volunteers with 28 members of staff across Hatay/Reyhanli, Antakiya, Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, utilising our 20,000 strong Turkish medical volunteer database to ensure all support necessary is provided.
As of the 20th Feb, and thanks to your support:
👉🏼 12,830 people received hygiene kits, food and emergency materials
👉🏼 5,943 people received medical care
👉🏼 33 surgeries conducted
👉🏼 10 babies delivered
👉🏼 280 psychosocial support sessions
👉🏼 152 metres long hospital tent providing healthcare 24 hours a day, equipped with primary health supplies, medicines, and electric heaters.
In Kahramanmaras, a ‘friendship tent’ was set up as part of our Doctors Worldwide psychosocial support activities, allowing children in the community to play and have fun together amidst the devastation and destruction they have experienced over the last few weeks.
Toys, games, colouring pens/pencils and balloons were provided in order to create a small sanctuary of peace and distraction for all those who have suffered so much as a result of the recent earthquakes.
A small gallery of artworks now adorns the tent walls, all drawn by children of those who have been affected by the earthquakes this February.
‘We continue to work, so that the children can laugh’ - Doctors Worldwide Turkiye.
Thanks to your donations, activities such as this friendship tent are possible to provide alongside the medical aid our teams have been working on since the beginning of the month. Based on our experience of responding to more than 13 humanitarian disasters across the globe, we are looking at a recovery phase lasting for at least 1 year up to 5 years. It is at this point that your donations matter the most - because people don’t stop living once the international cameras dim; communities still need to return back to some form of normalcy, whether that is being able to access healthcare when they need it, resuming the education of their children, being able to access clean and safe water/sanitation needs, staying warm, cooking meals, overcoming trauma, and rebuilding their lives from ground zero - literally.
Help us continue our work today, and support our Turkiye/Syria Appeal.
Save a Life. Change a Life.
Donate Now / More about our Earthquake Response
Read more - Emergency Response: 20,000 Turkish Medical Volunteers
Read more - Why International Medical Volunteers should *NOT* travel to Turkey to provide medical assistance right now
