Islamic relief: Hospitals in Syria and Turkey in urgent need of drugs

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – Islamic Relief says hospitals in Syria and Turkey are now overwhelmed and urgently need more drugs.

Ahmed Mahmoud, Islamic Relief’s Head of Mission in Turkey and Syria, has described the overwhelming challenge of helping people in Syria through the effects of the earthquakes which have claimed the lives of more than 33,000 people in the region.

He says the agency’s teams were already working with thousands of displaced people when the earthquake hit.

They mobilised aid from inside Syria and Turkey, but the lack of working infrastructure hampered efforts.

They support 82 hospitals and medical centres which are now overwhelmed and urgently need more drugs, ICU equipment, supplies for surgical operations and treating fractures.

“They basically need everything”, he said.

Aid workers are exhausted – many have lost their own relatives yet are working around the clock to deliver aid.

Staff are grabbing a few moments of sleep in their cars in between distributions.

All aid agencies and the Disasters Emergency Committee have set up appeals for donations.