TEHRAN – Syrian Health Minister Hassan Muhammad Al-Ghabash has thanked Iran for providing aid to people affected by the recent devastating earthquake.

“In order to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the earthquake-affected areas of Syria, we reach out to the Iranian Red Crescent Society,” he said during a meeting with IRCS head Pir-Hossein Kolivand, IRNA reported.

The Syrian official appreciated relief and rescue services and humanitarian shipments sent by Iran, noting that Syria's health and medical staff have currently and to the extent possible, brought this crisis under control.

“In a short time, Iranian officials and relief teams arrived in the earthquake-affected areas of Aleppo and, based on instructions, started the relief operation and helping the earthquake victims.”

These teams also provided very good information to the Syrian relief teams, he added.

With the help of the Iranian ambassador in Syria and the proper interaction, the aid reached the earthquake victims very quickly, he stressed.

“We are very happy to have brothers by our side who sympathized with the earthquake victims and supported the suffering people of Syria,” Al-Ghabash highlighted.

The Syrian minister went on to say that training rescuers are an important issue for which plans will be developed.

“We want to continue the interaction and relationship with the Iranian Red Crescent Society in the field of training and transfer of experiences because we know that the rescue department in the Iranian Red Crescent Society is very strong.”

Al-Ghabash further pointed to the current needs based on the earthquake crisis in the northern provinces of Syria, saying: “At the current stage, our needs are two parts. First, supporting the earthquake victims, who number tens of thousands of people and are currently in shelters.”

For the time being, there is a concern that the earthquake victims will suffer from some pandemics and problems and contagious diseases, and there is a possibility that respiratory and skin diseases will spread among them very quickly, he explained.

“The second issue is to support the Ministry of Health with some hospital equipment so that we can provide the necessary medical services to the injured and injured due to this earthquake.”

“We request our Iranian colleagues to provide us with the necessary equipment because we suffered a lot of pressure due to this earthquake and we do not want the crisis caused by the earthquake to affect basic services for patients,” Al-Ghabash said.

The current need in earthquake-affected areas is for some hospital equipment, including imaging devices used in operating rooms for fractures, he said, adding that these requirements, as well as anesthetics and blood-stopping drugs, are urgent.

“But in the future, based on the necessary plans, we will use the science, knowledge, and technology of Iran's Red Crescent in the field of training troops, providing medicines and medical equipment needed in Syria.”

“Currently, we need the experiences of Iran's Red Crescent to reduce the damage caused by this earthquake.”

“Iran helped us a lot in this earthquake by providing relief tents and blankets, and we know that the importance of these supplies is equal to the importance of providing medicine,” Al-Ghabash added.

“On behalf of myself, the Ministry of Health, and the people of Syria, we appreciate the quick response and help you gave to the people of Syria affected by the earthquake.”

On February 14, Kolivand said Turkey has received another shipment of relief supplies for those living in the earthquake-affected areas in Syria and Turkey.

The society took action to deploy search and rescue teams, as well as the required tools and supplies, to the regions of Turkey and Syria affected by the Feb. 6 devastating earthquake,

The chairman of IRCS said that the Iranian relief and rescue team consists of 50 people, including many physicians.

Kolivand noted that by utilizing search and rescue canines as well as other tools, Iran’s relief personnel had been able to extract survivors from the wreckage as early as the first day.

He stated that many individuals are being sought out from beneath the wreckage by search and rescue crews who are clearing the debris in an effort to save lives.

The Iranian official said that the IRCS had also constructed field hospitals in Turkey and Syria.

More than 45,000 people have been killed in the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, and the toll is expected to soar.

MG