PETALING JAYA, Dec 30 — Malaysia’s acts of caring and humanitarian values once again extended beyond its borders when an all Malaysia medical volunteer group served in Syria in recent weeks.
Mercy Malaysia, a Malaysian medical relief society, led by its strategic planning and operations director Norazam Ab Samah and a medical personnel Prof Dr Mohammad Iqbal Omar, arrived at the Kamuna Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp in Sarmada village, Idlib province, Syria on Wednesday.
Prior to turning up in Syria, they offered their expertise and assistance in Turkey where they spent eight days.
The two, operating under Mercy Malaysia’s Rapid Assessment Team banner, entered Syria with assistance of its local partners after days of negotiations with the authorities there.
“We plan to be here for a few days to ensure we will be able to address the most pressing needs of the IDPs here, evacuated from their war-ravaged homes in Aleppo following the Syrian government’s takeover of eastern Aleppo earlier this month.
“With current temperatures, ranging between six to negative six degrees Celsius, the need for humanitarian assistance is now greater than ever before,” Norazam said.
The team also distributed 1,000 packets of “ready-to-eat” food packs since last week to IDPs currently seeking refuge at the camps in Idlib, rural Aleppo and Azaz, located at the border of Syria-Turkey.
Each food packet contains bread, dates, tuna, olive oil, cheese, mineral water, juice, sardine, canned beans and halawa (sweets).
“We have been in Turkey since December 20 to assess and determine every safe access for humanitarian aid into Syria.
“Our main goal is to be given safe passage to deliver the much needed medical and humanitarian aid to thousands of IDPs still in Aleppo and Idlib. Ultimately we will also plan our short, medium and long term assistance,” he said.
Mercy Malaysia conducted several missions within Syria consisting of two medical missions and distribution of winter kits through partnerships, between 2013 and 2014.
Between March to June of 2014, an outreach clinic was also set up via a local partner in North Syria.
Although the provision of aid within Syria came to a halt by last year due the increasing crisis, Mercy Malaysia still provided assistance to Syrian refugees in other countries including Lebanon and Jordan.
Mercy Malaysia also calls on the public to support its humanitarian efforts that has become increasingly urgent due to the current dire situation in Aleppo.
Donations to the cause can be made to Mercy Malaysia’s Syrian Winter Relief Fund by logging on to www.mercy.org.my.
