WHO chief arrives in Syria

Aleppo, The Gulf Observer: World Health Organization – WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Syria’s quake-stricken city of Aleppo, state media has reported.

Tedros “arrived at Aleppo airport to tour some hospitals and shelters with (Syria’s) health minister and the governor of Aleppo”, the regime’s news agency SANA said on Saturday.

His visit came five days after two devastating 7.7- and 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked Türkiye and Syria, killing close to 25,000 people including at least 3,553 in war-torn Syria alone.

Upon his arrival, Tedros said he was accompanying “emergency medical supplies of around 37 metric tonnes”.

“We are very happy that we could come with the supplies,” he told reporters at Aleppo airport.

“This is the first supply we are sending.”

Tedros added that the WHO would continue to provide emergency medical services and bring in more emergency supplies necessary for “trauma management”.

“Tomorrow, there will be another round with more than 30 metric tonnes,” he said.

He expressed concern over the after-effects of the earthquake, especially the disruption of services.

“People are exposed to diarrhoeal diseases… and other health problems especially mental health problems,” he said.

“We will work together to address the impact of the earthquake, not only the emergency services during the earthquake.

Since Monday’s earthquake, rescuers and volunteers have been scrambling with little means to find survivors under concrete debris of collapsed buildings.