Syria & Türkiye Earthquake Emergency Response

Jolted awake, like so many others, MSF employees and their families have been in the midst of this crisis from its onset. They have been describing the devastation of collapsed buildings and infrastructure along with throngs of people out in the streets, in the cold, helping or seeking help.

MSF has been working in northwest Syria since the outbreak of conflict in 2011. Our teams have been supporting hospitals, running mobile clinics, and working in camps for people who are displaced. Within the first hours of the earthquake MSF was able to provide an initial wave of support to 23 health facilities across Idlib and Aleppo governorates, donating emergency medical kits and reinforcing medical teams to handle the influx of wounded people.

As our country director describes it, “Health facilities are impacted and overwhelmed, and the medical personnel in northern Syria is working around the clock to respond to the huge numbers of wounded arriving to the facilities.” Already in those first hours, our teams treated around 200 people who were wounded and sadly recorded 160 dead.

What is MSF Doing?

MSF teams have been responding in northern Syria since the first hours of the disaster, including:

• Treating hundreds of injured patients at MSF-supported hospitals in Idlib, in northern Syria.
• Donating emergency medical kits to other healthcare facilities in the region.
• Sending our ambulances and extra staff to hard-hit healthcare facilities.

We remain in close contact with authorities in northwest Syria and southern Türkiye, ready to provide further support to people affected by the earthquakes.

One MSF staff member has died, while others have lost family members.
Prior to the earthquakes, Syria was rivalled only by Ukraine for the most people who are internally displaced in the world. Since yesterday, there are many more. MSF has also been donating blankets and essential supply kits to people who are displaced, including across the border in Türkiye.
MSF is collaborating with the Blue Crescent to bolster their emergency response.

Our teams are not only responding to immediate needs but also assessing the extent and impact of the crisis so we can scale up our actions accordingly. We remain in close contact with local authorities in northwest Syria and with authorities in Turkey to extend our support where it’s needed.

This immediate response is possible because MSF teams were there, but also crucially because of the unrestricted funding we receive from private supporters like you. Thank you.

The situation in northwest Syria and southern Türkiye continues to evolve rapidly. For the most up to date information, please visit our website or follow @MSF_Canada on Twitter.