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Czech Humanitarian Aid Arrives in Syria

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Syria
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Govt. Czech Rep.
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On July 18, another shipment of humanitarian aid has been airlifted to Syria by the Czech Army as part of a joint project of Czech Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense as well as the Czech Red Cross (CRC). The aid was forwarded by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Syria Eva Filipi and Director of the CRC Office Josef Konečný to the representatives of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). The SARC provides health care to about two million persons in 144 facilities. Despite the difficult situation, the SARC operates on most of the Syrian territory regardless of which of the parties currently controls the territory.

The aid consisted of 177 medical devices weighing 1,8 tons and totaling four million Czech Crowns (CZK) – among them autoclaves, infusion pumps, glucometers, oximeters, respirators, inhalers and other supplies. The goal is to provide health care to civilian population suffering from a protracted conflict. On top of medical aid, the shipment also contained toys collected by volunteers for displaced children.

The shipment is part of a government program called Humanitarian, Development and Reconstruction Assistance to Syria in the Period of 2016-2019, which is supported by relevant UNSC resolutions. In addition to these deliveries, the Czech Republic also supports providing healthcare, provisional housing, food and education within Syria as well as to Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. In 2016, this assistance exceeded 200 million CZK. This year, the Czech Republic plans to spend 224 million CZK on aid to Syria and the region.