Look: UAE, WHO deliver 30 tonnes of urgent medical supplies to Sudan

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have delivered 30 tonnes of urgent medical supplies to Sudan today. A plane carrying supplies for injury treatment, emergency surgeries, and essential drugs arrived in Port Sudan Airport early this morning.

The shipment, valued at $444 000, is the first that WHO has been able to deliver by air to Sudan since the outbreak of the conflict. WHO distributed supplies to heath facilities prior to the escalation of conflict. These were exhausted after a few days given the number of injured.

The dispatch of the aircraft comes as part of the UAE's continuous relief efforts in support of the Sudanese people and reflects its deep relations with Sudan, particularly in light of the current situation the country is facing. The relief is also an extension of the UAE's humanitarian vision and underscores its relations with other countries based on human fraternity and its commitment to assisting others during crises and emergency situations.

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said that the UAE "continues to work closely alongside the World Health Organisation to ensure the successful deployment of the critical logistics operations to send urgent medical and food aid to help address the current crisis in Sudan.

"In parallel with calls for all sides of the current conflict to immediately cease hostilities and de-escalate a situation that is causing untold suffering for the Sudanese people, the UAE is steadfast in its commitment to providing aid and assistance to countries in times of need.

"The UAE is particularly focused on providing for the most vulnerable groups affected by the situation in Sudan, especially the sick, children, the elderly, and women who are most at risk from the ongoing concerning conflict - and these relief flights will directly address the most pressing gaps in medical and food provision.

"The UAE's deeply held humanitarian values have meant that it has ensured it has continued to communicate to the world its robust and unrelenting dedication to strengthening peace, security and stability, not just regionally, but also worldwide, whilst alongside its partners and the international community, the country continues to assist the Sudanese people in times of crisis."

The health supplies include enough trauma, emergency surgical supplies, and essential medicines to immediately reach 165,000 people who are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Health facilities across the country report they have run out of basic health supplies and that national medical stores are no longer accessible due to the security situation. Among other support, WHO is deploying two emergency logisticians traveling with the cargo to ensure that these supplies are immediately distributed to 13 major health facilities to support healthcare workers and extend care to those in need.

WHO has another 30 metric tonnes of supplies for malaria and non-communicable disease like diabetes and hypertension, conditions that can become deadly if left untreated. These and about 23,000 blood bags are being readied within the WHO global logistics hub in the International Humanitarian City, and WHO is currently exploring all possibilities for delivering these supplies to Sudan as quickly as possible in collaboration with the Sudanese Ministry of Health.

The medical aid provided by the World Health Organisation through the UAE accounted for approximately 55 percent of the total medical supplies provided to Sudan from abroad in 2022, reflecting the UAE's position as a major hub for international humanitarian assistance.

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