More than 5,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured across both countries, according to estimates by the United Nations humanitarian affairs agency. Sadly, an MSF staff member was found dead under the rubble of his house in Idlib, Syria. Other colleagues have lost their family members.
Supporting overwhelmed hospitals in northern Syria
“We are very shocked and saddened by the impact of this disaster on the thousands of people touched by it, including our colleagues and their families,” said Sebastien Gay, MSF head of mission in Syria.
“Health facilities are impacted and overwhelmed, and medical personnel in northern Syria [are] working around the clock to respond to the huge numbers of wounded arriving to the facilities,” said Gay. “[In] the first hours [of the disaster], our teams treated around 200 wounded and we received 160 casualties in the facilities and the clinics that we run or support in northern Idlib. Our ambulances are also deployed to assist [people].”
MSF provided immediate support to 23 health facilities across Idlib and Aleppo governorates by donating emergency medical kits and supporting them with medical staff to reinforce their teams. MSF teams have donated blankets and essential life kits to displaced people in the region. The earthquakes destroyed hundreds of houses, leaving thousands of people without homes. People are staying outside despite the snow due to fear of aftershocks that have continued throughout the day.
Mounting an international response
“The needs are very high in northwestern Syria as this [earthquake] adds a dramatic layer for vulnerable [people] who are still struggling after many years of war,” said Gay. “The massive consequences of this disaster will require a [scaled up] international aid effort.” The number of deaths and injuries are increasing by the hour.
The majority of the wounded are concentrated in the cities of the northern part of northwest Syria, such as Al-Bab, Afrin, and Azaz. MSF is supporting at least eight hospitals with supplies for trauma surgery. In Turkey, MSF is working with the International Blue Crescent, as they did after the earthquake that hit Izmir in 2020.
Urgent surgical intervention is just one component of MSF’s response. “We have to identify the chronic diseases that are also collateral damage in this kind of intervention,” said Ricardo Martínez, logistics coordinator of the emergency unit at MSF. “Mental health is another pillar of our intervention because we know from experience that it’s crucial to start these activities immediately.”
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