Operation Dost: Union Health Ministry provides life-saving medical assistance to quake-hit Turkey, Syria
Feb 14, 2023
New Delhi [India], February 14 : Under 'Operation Dost', Union Health Ministry provided life-saving humanitarian medical Assistance to quake-hit Turkey and Syria.
Taking to Twitter, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya said, "India is helping Syria and Turkey with the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. @MoHFW_India provided life-saving emergency medicines, protective items, medical equipment, critical care drugs, etc as part of India's efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Turkey and Syria."
On February 06, 2023, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 happened in Turkey and Syria.
According to a statement released by Union Health Ministry, the emergency relief material comprised of life-saving medicines, protective items, and critical care equipment valued at over Rs 7 crore was arranged and promptly dispatched to Turkey and Syria.
When two powerful earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, 3 truckloads of relief materials were arranged at Hindon airbase consisting of life-saving emergency medicines and protective items within 12 hours.
The consignment consisted of 5,945-ton emergency relief material which included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items, and three categories of critical care pieces of equipment, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore.
Moreover, on February 10, many relief materials were arranged for both Turkey and Syria. The consignment for Syria consisted of 72 critical care drugs, consumables, and protective items of 7.3 tons, valued at Rs 1.4 crore, the statement read.
Relief materials sent for Turkey included 14 types of medical and critical care equipment, valued at Rs 4 crore. Some of the medical equipment is Patient Monitor Cardio VI (100), Syring Pump Medvo (100), ECG Machine IMAC 300 (50), and many more, the statement added.
Under Operation Dost, India is helping Turkey in the earthquake-affected area and is conducting search and rescue operations. To save the lives of earthquake victims, the Indian Army has also established 60 Para Field Hospitals in Turkey.
India had dispatched the seventh flight to Turkey. The Indian Air Force C17 carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency and critical care medicines, medical equipment, and consumables took off from Hindon Airbase in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad.
EAM S Jaishankar also took to his Twitter handle to talk about the flight departing from Ghaziabad.
He tweeted, "The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Turkiye. Flight is carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency & critical care medicines, medical equipment & consumables."
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the flight is carrying more than 35 tons of relief material, of which over 23 tons is headed for relief efforts in Syria, and around 12 tons to Turkey.
