Some 23 million people could be affected by the earthquakes that shook south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria, the WHO said on Tuesday (February 7th), pledging its long-term support after sending emergency help.
“
Event maps show that 23 million people are potentially at risk, including about 5 million vulnerable people
,” World Health Organization official Adelheid Marschang told a regular meeting of the Executive Board of the city. the organization.
Disrupted aid delivery
"
WHO is aware of Turkey's strong response capacity and considers that the main unmet needs could be in Syria in the immediate and medium term
," she added.
The earthquake, followed by powerful aftershocks, killed more than 5,000 people in Turkey and Syria, also leaving thousands injured and homeless in the freezing cold, but the toll is still provisional.
“
The delivery of aid across the border to northwestern Syria risks being or is already being disrupted due to the damage caused by the earthquake.
In itself, this is already a huge crisis
, “said Adelheid Marschang.
At his side, the director general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, first called for a minute of silence for the victims.
Read alsoEarthquake in Turkey and Syria: why the earth is shaking so hard in the region
“
We will work closely with all partners to support the authorities in Turkey and Syria, in the critical hours and days ahead, and in the months and years to come, as both countries recover and recover. rebuild
,” he said afterwards.
He announced the dispatch of "
three charter flights to the two countries
" with medical materials, including surgical kits, from the humanitarian logistics platform in Dubai.
“
Now it's a race against time.
»
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO
"
We are mobilizing emergency materials and we have activated the WHO network of emergency medical teams to provide essential health care to the injured and most vulnerable people
," he added.
Dr Tedros also explained that damage mapping is being done to understand where WHO needs to focus its attention.
“
Now it's a race against time.
Every minute, every hour that passes, the chances of finding survivors alive decreases
,” he said, saying he was “
particularly concerned about areas where we do not yet have information
”.
"
Aftershocks, severe winter conditions, damage to roads, power, communications and other infrastructure continue to impede access and other search and rescue operations
," he said. head of WHO.
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