The entire family of MdM worldwide mourns the unexpected and sudden loss of four colleagues who lost their lives in the Turkey-Syria earthquake.
Our dear colleague, Syria Program Coordinator Dr. Mohamad Shahin, and his family, lost their lives in Hatay. Our dear colleagues, Ziad Salim, Zahia Elomer and Osama Elabod lost their lives in Afrin, Syria.
The MdM-Turkey office in Antioch has been demolished. Hatay and Antioch are very difficult to reach. People, including our staff, are sleeping outside in the freezing cold. MdM-Turkey staff are in the field with tents. Our senior management and our mobile medical team from Izmir were able to reach Antioch late on Monday, the day of the earthquake, to support patients and staff, and more teams are on their way.
Following the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023, causing at least 30,000 confirmed deaths and affecting millions of people in Turkey and Syria, MdM is calling for unimpeded access to those most in need as well as immediate financial assistance needed in the affected areas to save lives and provide basic support to victims.
All actors involved (the governments of Turkey, Syria, the UN and the international community) must ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to those most in need.
The death of our colleagues is a devastating blow to all of us who are part of the organization both in Türkiye and Syria and in other countries where MdM’s International Network operates around the world. Deepest condolences to all whose lives has turned upside down by this undescribable tragedy.