WHO official: humanitarian situation in Syria is worrying, aid is increasing
World Health Organization officials said at a press conference on the 15th local time that the humanitarian situation in Syria is worrying after a strong earthquake near the Syrian border in Turkey on the 6th. At present, the assistance provided by the international community to Syria is increasing. He called on all parties in Syria to facilitate the entry of aid into the disaster area.
Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s health emergencies program: We have seen what should be (aid) in disasters, but this is not sustainable unless we have a more peaceful environment. Today we must call on all parties to the conflict in Syria to seriously think about the people. Syria has experienced 10 years of war, the health system is very fragile, and people’s lives are very difficult.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently stated that 8.8 million people in Syria were affected by the earthquake. The United Nations recently announced that the Syrian government has agreed to open two cross-border passages from Turkey to the earthquake-stricken areas in northwestern Syria, so that the United Nations can transport relief supplies to the disaster areas.
It is not just domestic conflicts that affect Syria’s disaster relief capabilities. The United States has imposed illegal unilateral sanctions on Syria for a long time, which has seriously exacerbated the crisis in Syria’s economy and people’s livelihood, and has also greatly weakened Syria’s ability to respond to disasters. After the strong earthquake, the US unilateral sanctions directly hindered Syria’s 72-hour gold rescue, which made it difficult for Syria to obtain imported medicines and some advanced medical equipment, making the Syrian people struggling under the double blow of US sanctions and earthquake disasters.
