Türkiye – Friday, The Syria Recovery Trust Fund (SRTF) has taken further steps to support the communities affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkiye and Northern Syria in February. Just two weeks after launching phase I of its emergency response plan (ERP), the SRTF has approved phase II of the ERP with a total allocated budget of EUR 3.5 million. The second phase will fund activities under two priority areas, namely, healthcare services, and the Syria Civil Defence (SCD, also known as the White Helmets) as they shift their work to recovery efforts.
In terms of health services, a budget of EUR 1.5 million has been allocated to support the provision of emergency medicine, medical consumables, orthopedic implants, and accessories, including the running costs of staff working at a number of hospitals in Northern Aleppo in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch areas. This area of the ERP will help address the urgent health needs of the affected population and reduce the risk of further health complications and spread of diseases.
To support the efforts of the Syria Civil Defence (SCD), a budget of EUR 1.93 million has been allocated to help them complete search and rescue operations, maintain their capacity, and prepare communities for future earthquakes and aftershocks. This funding will ensure the execution of awareness campaigns on earthquake safety and first aid, supply essential spare parts for heavy vehicles, and assess the safety of damaged buildings to facilitate the return of civilians to their homes.
This Phase of the ERP brings the total budget of the SRTF’s response to the earthquake to EUR 4.8 million. The SRTF is working on additional activities to provide other support which will be announced in due course.
In statement by the SRTF director General Eng. Hani Khabbaz, he commented: Time is of the essence in providing emergency relief and support to the affected communities. We are working quickly to implement our second phase of the emergency response plan, which aims to address the urgent health and search and rescue needs of those impacted by the earthquakes in Northern Aleppo. We have approved multiple activities for a total of EUR 4.8 million and we are confident that this additional funding will contribute significantly to the ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts and help alleviate the suffering of those impacted by this tragedy.
Source: Syria Recovery Trust Fund