Mercy Malaysia enters camp in Idlib to deliver humanitarian aid

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) has entered the Kamuna Internally Displaced Person's (IDP) camp in Sarmada village of the Idlib province, Syria.
Its Rapid Assessment Team (RAT), led by Mercy Malaysia's Director of Strategic Planning and Operations, Norazam Ab Samah, and medical doctor, Professor Dr Mohammad Iqbal Omar – entered Syria with the assistance of its local partners after days of negotiations with the authorities
"For a few days we will be here to address the most pressing needs of the IDPs who were evacuated from their war-ravaged homes in Aleppo. With the current temperature ranging between 6°C to -6°C, the need for humanitarian assistance is now greater than ever," said Norazam.
Prior to this, the RAT had distributed 1000 packets of 'ready-to-eat' food items last week to IDPs currently seeking refuge in the IDP 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.
"We have been in Turkey since Dec 20 to conduct assessment and determine 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 who are still in Aleppo and Idlib. Ultimately we will plan our short, medium and long term assistance," he added.
Mercy Malaysia has previously conducted several missions within Syria including Aleppo between 2013 and 2014, consisting of two Medical Missions, distribution of winter kits (through partner) and an Outreach Clinic via local partner in North Syria between March to June 2014.
Although the provision of aids within Syria came to halt by 2015 due the increasing crisis, assistance by Mercy Malaysia to the Syrian refugees in other countries such as in Lebanon and Jordan has been ongoing.
Mercy Malaysia is also calling for the public to support its humanitarian efforts that has become increasingly urgent due to the current acute 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.