Situation Update
The humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. As of 18 November 2013, the United Nations (UN) estimates about 6.5 million people are internally displaced and over 9 million people are now in immediate need of assistance. Rising costs of food and fuel coupled with repeated population movement and fighting have compounded the desperate situation within Syria. Destruction of health facilities, shortages of vaccines and medicines increase the health risk in the country. Polio-free since 1999, Syria has been confirmed over 10 cases of polio this month.
The number of people fleeing Syria into neighbouring countries has been rising to over 2.2 million, of which 80% live in host communities in the neighbouring countries. The upcoming winter will dramatically increase the needs to blankets, stoves and protective clothing, on top of other pressing needs including access to food, essential supplies, health care and schools.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Actions
The International Red Cross has been working in Syria and the neighboring countries since the unrest began. It has now scaled up its relief operations and is seeking for a total of HK$2.6 billion globally to assist the internally displaced residents in Syria as well as the Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. To date, the assistance has already reached at least 6.9 million people. That includes food and non-food assistance, medical and health service, water and sanitation, as well as psycho-social and tracing services.
The following actions have been completed as of October 2013:
Syria Arab Red Crescent
- Delivered food to nearly 3 million people, plus non-food items (mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, baby kits, women’s emergency kits, etc.) for over 1.2 million people;
- Deliver water by truck to 135,000 people, and support water treatment supplies to ensure safe drinking water across the country (approx. 20 million people).
Turkish Red Crescent Society
-Provided shelter items including 33,240 tents and 6,608 tarpaulins; -Distributed essential non-food items including 489,140 blankets, 94,177 mattresses and 7,184 kitchen sets; - Supplied food to at least 115,000 people in 14 camps and in the border area.
Lebanon Red Cross Society
-More than 27,000 refugees from Syria received aid, including 14,500 Palestinians from camps in Syria.; - Assisted 2,500 selected families each month with food parcels and hygiene kits.
Jordanian Red Crescent Society
- Supported over 30,000 families (approximately 150,000 individuals) with 85,100 food parcels, 211,829 blankets and quilts, 25,500 hygiene parcels, 4,047 jerry cans, 6,000 mattresses;
- Supplied food aid to around 100,000 Syrian refugees living in local communities in northern Jordan;
- Helped 24,000 Syrian refugees to re-establish contact with their families by phone and one family was reunited.
Iraqi Red Crescent Society
- Provided food aid to 4,500 families and tents for 800 families;
- Assisted over 17,000 children and people with disability by providing preventive health services, wheel chairs and first aid kits;
- Secured the water supply for 4,300 families by providing potable water and water tanks.
In the meantime, the concerned RCRC societies have been conducting ongoing emergency operations, including:
- Conducting emergency first aid and basic health activities via medical health points, mobile health units and ambulances, especially in areas with limited access to health care;
- Conducting psycho-social and health care activities for children and their families;
- Prepositioning contingency stocks for further distribution in camps;
- Assisting refugee families with the cash program to cover rental costs and purchase of most essential household items.
Hong Kong Red Cross Actions
The Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) launched an emergency appeal to the Hong Kong public from 23 October to 5 November for donations to support the relief operations in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Up to 18 November, HKRC has received HK$187,363from the Hong Kong public. We thank the public for their generous donations.
Since 2012, HKRC has mobilized around HK$840,000 to provide 9,000 blankets and 112 sets of household kit (including tarpaulins, soap, jerry can and kitchen set) to the displaced people in Syria through the International Red Cross.
General Enquiries
Please dial 2802-0016, fax to 2802-0017 or email to relief@redcross.org.hk
