First shipment of medical aid to Syria sent today

The first shipment of medicines to earthquake-stricken Syria is being sent on Thursday via the Civil Protection Mechanism, on a Cyprus Airways flight.

The shipment will arrive in Beirut and from there it will be transported to Syria under the responsibility of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, according to a statement by the Office of the Commissioner for the Citizen. The medicines are donated by the Medochemie drug company.

On Friday, February 17th, another shipment of pharmaceuticals, donated by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, will also depart for Beirut.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian aid that has been collected in the past week at all cities and villages throughout the government-controlled areas of the Republic, is being gathered with the help of the National Guard to Limassol. The campaign, which will be completed tomorrow, Friday, is conducted in cooperation with the Civil Defence and the Cyprus Red Cross, local government administration, organisations and associations.

The Office of the Commissioner for the Citizen notes that people’s response has once more been moving as a large quantity of clothing and foodstuff as well as personal hygiene items have been collected.

All items will be taken in an area near Limassol Port where they will be packaged for Syria and Turkey and loaded onto ships for Syria and Turkey, through routes indicated by the European Civil Protection Mechanism, the statement added.