Türkiye
On the night of February 6, 2023, at 4:17 am local time, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria and Türkiye declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 provinces most affected by the earthquake.
The earthquake was followed by 78 aftershocks and struck the region for a second time on the afternoon of February 6 at 1:24 p.m. with a magnitude 7.5 in the province of Ekinozu.
On February 20, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and a second magnitude 5.8 earthquake also struck Turkey’s southern Hatay province, causing terror for those who stayed in an area devastated by the twin quakes two weeks ago.
Following the February 20 earthquake, the Turkish Medical Association announced that there is no longer a public hospital in Hatay district that can provide health services. On 27 February, another 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye’s southern province of Malatya. The earthquakes were followed by a total of 9 990 aftershocks. The earthquakes led to the collapse of many buildings in the affected areas.
After the earthquake, MdM has 13 different containers installed to create safe spaces for the beneficiaries, staff and volunteers as well as to serve as operational facilities for the provision of health services. Already 3 large containers have been installed as primary health care centres, with designated areas for clinical practice.
The organization of the MdM follows a two-pronged approach: one of fixed services and one of mobile services.
The organization’s fixed unit consists of individual teams composed of a doctor, a midwife and a clinical psychologist and uses the installed containers near or within the camps.
In contrast, the mobile unit is divided into two separate teams, each consisting of a psychologist, a nurse, a case handler and a doctor.
These mobile teams provide on-site assistance from tent to tent in areas where government and other aid agencies are unable to provide services.
The priority is to prevent the risk of epidemics due to contamination of water resources in the affected areas.
The plan implemented by the MdM Türkiye organisation is to provide informative suggestions and kits with all necessary products to prevent the reported diseases.
Continuous aftershocks in the region pose a significant threat to individuals as they continue to experience the traumatic effects of the initial earthquake.
MdM Türkiye is providing first aid, conducting medical examinations, distributing medicines, psychological first aid and expanding the installation of new safe spaces for vulnerable cases, women and children.