Türkiye spares no effort to help flood-affected Libyans in need of medical care

By Halil Fidan

DERNA, Libya (AA) - Türkiye is continuing its relief activities in the Libyan city of Derna, where devastating floods killed and displaced thousands of people.

Turkish crews are sparing no effort to help Libyans in need of medical attention after setting up field hospitals.

Storm Daniel hit eastern Libya on Sept. 10, causing floods in the cities of Benghazi, Bayda, Al Marj, Soussa and Derna.

Türkiye, which was the first country to reach the region after the call of the Libyan Presidential Council, carries out a wide range of activities from search and rescue operations to cleaning services, from food and water support to health services.

Türkiye, which coordinates the work of other countries as it is the first international team to reach the flood-hit areas, also worked to set up two field tents through its disaster management agency AFAD and the Health Ministry.

The first field hospital put into service in Derna has been serving injured and sick disaster victims, while the installation of the other one has just been completed.

Hakan Guler, the deputy general director of Emergency Health Services at the Health Ministry, told Anadolu that the ministry initially reached the disaster area with 11 teams.

Noting that they first started to provide emergency services in the field hospital established by Libyans themselves, Guler said: "Then, in line with the needs, we arrived at the site with a team of 148 people, over 20 medical vehicles and 12 trucks. Two more field hospitals were planned to be built here. The first one is a hospital in the eastern part of the city, its installation was completed and we started to provide service. The installation of the second one is also completed."

"Our hospitals will also support Libyans with services such as emergency services, pediatric services and polyclinics, gynecology services, maternity wards, operating rooms, intensive care, imaging laboratories and ultrasound. Our hospitals work with an average of 60-70 staff," Guler added.

He said that other countries that came to help were also working in the field of health, but a field hospital including operating rooms was established for the first time. "We are here as long as Libyan citizens need services," he added.