The earthquake that killed thousands in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria could affect 23 million people in both countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
“The maps show that 23 million people are exposed, including five million vulnerable people”WHO Director Adelheid Marschang told the UN agency’s board of directors.
“Civil infrastructure and possibly health infrastructure was damaged throughout the affected region, particularly in Turkey and north-western Syria”said the person in charge.
The WHO “believes that Syria could be the most important short- and medium-term unmet needs”, especially in the north of the country, where the situation is particularly dire as it is an area already decimated by several years of war Marschang noted.
WHO leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there was “a race against time” and explained that the organization is sending aid to both countries: “We are deploying a network of WHO emergency medical teams to provide essential medical assistance to the injured and most vulnerable.”
Ghebreyesus promised that the agency will “work closely with all partners to support authorities in both countries in these critical hours and days and in the months and years to come as both countries recover and rebuild”.
Source: DN
