Up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday. "Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around five million vulnerable populations," WHO senior emergencies officer Adelheid Marschang told the UN health agency's executive committee.
WHO’s Emergency Medical Teams initiative has been activated to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable affected by the disaster, in response to a request for international assistance.
National authorities are focusing on search and rescue in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes while anticipating an increased need for trauma care to treat the injured. The wider health system will also need to be supported in affected areas, including where health facilities may have been damaged.
“The immediate priority is to support the response locally,” noted Senior Emergency Officer Dr. Catherine Smallwood, who is coordinating the Türkiye earthquake response at WHO/Europe. “Turkey has a very strong capacity to respond to earthquakes, but the level of destruction is such that they have put out an alert for international medical assistance. We are coordinating potential deployment with the Turkish authorities.”
WHO/Europe will continue to provide updates on the support provided to Turkey, and the health needs being addressed amid the response, as the situation evolves.
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