Operation Dost: Union Health Ministry provides life-saving medical assistance to quake-hit Turkey, Syria

The Union Health Ministry, through ‘Operation Dost,’ provided life-saving humanitarian medical assistance to earthquake-ravaged Turkey and Syria.

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, said on Twitter, “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 6, 2023, a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck Turkey and Syria.

According to a statement released by the Union Health Ministry, emergency relief material worth over Rs 7 crore was arranged and promptly dispatched to Turkey and Syria.

Within 12 hours of two powerful earthquakes striking Syria and Turkey, three truckloads of relief materials containing life-saving emergency medicines and protective items were arranged at Hindon airbase.

The consignment included 5,945 tonnes of emergency relief material worth approximately Rs 2 crore, including 27 life-saving medicines, two types of protective items, and three categories of critical care pieces of equipment.

Furthermore, on February 10, many relief supplies were organised for both Turkey and Syria. The shipment to Syria included 72 critical care drugs, consumables, and protective items totaling 7.3 tonnes and valued at Rs 1.4 crore, according to the statement.

The relief materials sent to Turkey included 14 different types of medical and critical care equipment worth Rs 4 crore. The medical equipment includes the Patient Monitor Cardio VI (100), Syring Pump Medvo (100), ECG Machine IMAC 300 (50), and many others, according to the statement.

India is assisting Turkey in the earthquake-affected area through Operation Dost, which includes search and rescue operations. The Indian Army has also established 60 Para Field Hospitals in Turkey to save the lives of earthquake victims.

India had sent a seventh flight to Turkey. The Indian Air Force C17 carrying relief supplies, medical aid, emergency and critical care medications, medical equipment, and consumables took off from Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

EAM S Jaishankar also took to Twitter to discuss the flight departing from Ghaziabad.

He tweeted, “The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Turkey. The flight is carrying relief supplies, medical aid, emergency and critical care medications, medical equipment and consumables.”

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the flight is carrying more than 35 tonnes of relief material, with over 23 tonnes going to Syria and around 12 tonnes going to Turkey.