Gift of the Givers assisting in earthquake-hit Syria, Turkey

Gift of the Givers assisting in earthquake-hit Syria, Turkey

Gift of the Givers says its teams have been on the ground since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Turkey on Monday. 

SA rescuers Turkey
MediResponse KZN

More than 5 000 people have now been killed as the death toll continues to climb.


Thousands more have been injured while massive rescue efforts continue to free those trapped under rubble.


Gift of the Givers says its crews were already servicing some of the areas in the region.


It's been evacuating children from their Bayt Kareem Child Care Centre in Gaziantep in Turkey, while in Darkoush, Syria, their medical teams have been attending to the injured. 


Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says they've also been running a hospital in Syria.


"Yesterday morning, our teams were activated and we started to get a lot casualties. Fortunately, our hospital was not affected, 35 deceased people came in and close to 200 casualties. 


"We then had to open the other hospital. We had 320 personnel working in both hospitals and whatever additional equipment we have and supplies, we will send it across." 


He says some of the teams are being dispatched to other hospitals that aren't coping. 


Sooliman says during the course of the week, they'll be sending search and rescue teams, trauma medical and and other supplies to Turkey.

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