The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, arrived on Saturday in the earthquake-hit Syrian city of Aleppo, state media reported.
Tedros “arrived at Aleppo airport to tour some hospitals and shelters with the (Syrian) health minister and Aleppo governor,” the official SANA news agency reported.
His visit comes five days after devastating 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes rocked Turkey and Syria, killing nearly 25,000 people, including at least 3,553 in war-torn Syria alone.
Upon arrival, Tedros said he was escorting “a medical emergency weighing about 37 metric tons”.
“We are very happy that we were able to arrive with supplies,” he told reporters at the Aleppo airport. “This is the first shipment we’ve shipped.”
He added that the WHO will continue to provide emergency medical assistance and deliver more emergency supplies needed to “treat injuries”.
“Tomorrow there will be another round with more than 30 metric tons,” he said.
He expressed concern about the consequences of the earthquake, especially the disruption of services.
“People are prone to diarrheal diseases … and other health problems, especially mental ones,” he said. “We will work together to deal with the aftermath of an earthquake, not just emergency services during an earthquake.”
Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabash welcomed Tedros at the airport, saying his visit “is of great importance in many aspects.”
“He will first see the reality and what caused this disaster,” he said. “We hope that Dr. Tedros sees the reality of hospitals and what they lack,” he added, calling on the WHO to help provide equipment that is lacking.
In the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake, rescuers and volunteers with little means are trying to find survivors under the concrete rubble of collapsed buildings.
The United Nations says the disaster could have left up to 5.3 million people homeless in Syria, including 200,000 in Aleppo alone.
Earthquake survivors flock to camps set up for people displaced by almost 12 years of war from other parts of Syria. Many have lost their homes or are too scared to return to damaged buildings.
Syria’s healthcare system has been ravaged by years of conflict.
“Many hospitals, almost 50% of medical facilities are not functioning, and those that are functioning lack equipment, staff and drugs,” said Ahmad Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The organization will issue “an appeal to Turkey and Syria worth more than $40 million,” WHO Regional Director for Emergencies Richard Brennan said.
