145 health facilities damaged in Syria – WHO
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The World Health Organization (WHO) said, on Wednesday, that the earthquake deeply affected Syria’s health sector, damaging seven hospitals and about 145 health facilities.
The WHO said at a media briefing event that “these health facilities have been ravaged by war for more than a decade and are therefore more vulnerable to shocks like this.”
The WHO noted that it had launched a flash appeal to gain $84.5 million to support the immediate health response efforts in the quake-affected areas of Syria and Turkey.
In the latest statistics published by the Civil Defense in Idlib (the While Helmet), affiliated with the Syrian opposition, Syria’s northwest recorded 2.274 deaths and more than 12.400 injuries.
Rick Brennan, the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Emergency Director, said in the briefing that “The WHO is moving very rapidly right now, together with our partners, to take advantage of the post-earthquake pause in sanctions.”
The US has temporarily lifted some sanctions to facilitate the aid access to earthquake-affected Syrians.
Four planes filled with supplies have flown into Syria since the earthquake, Brennan added.
At dawn on Feb. 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey, killing about 46.000 and injuring many more. The earthquake also caused immense destruction of buildings, trapping thousands under the rubble.