WHO: The Flash Appeal to support the earthquake response in Syria requires $33.7 million
The World Health Organization said in a statement that the urgent appeal to support the humanitarian response to the entire earthquake disaster in Syria requires $33.7 million.
The statement called on the international community to support lifesaving health response activities for the 4.9 million people most severely affected out of the 8.8 million affected by the earthquake throughout Syria.
The statement affirmed that urgent health needs include the reinforcement of disease surveillance, urgent provision of medicines and medical equipment, support for chronic disease management, and increased psychosocial and social support.
The statement made it clear that the humanitarian crisis in Syria even before the earthquake had been worsening since 2011, with 15.3 million people or 70% of the Syrian population need urgent humanitarian assistance in 2023.
The statement pointed out that the war led to a social, economic and health deterioration, the displacement of large numbers of people, and the spread of diseases. The statement stressed that Syria, which was in a state of instability, was not prepared to face the earthquake disaster.
The statement indicated that 97,000 families were displaced by the earthquake, and now living in overcrowded and unsanitary shelters amid inadequate services and vulnerable to risk of disease.
The regions of southern Turkey and northern Syria witnessed two violent earthquakes last February, with a magnitude of 7.7 and 7.6, followed by thousands of violent aftershocks, killing more than 50,000 people in southeastern Turkey and thousands in Syria.
