Earthquake help for Turkey
Dear Patients, Dear Parents, Dear Children and Adolescents
On February 6th 2023, the earthquake in the Hatay region of Turkey and in north-eastern Syria led to one of the largest natural and subsequent humanitarian disasters.
With the support of our patients, the midwives and therapists at Arcus, our medical assistants and doctors, Arcus AG and our partners, I was able to organise a private “mission” directly to Arsuz, Iskenderun in Hatay, Turkey to bring medicines to the region and to offer an improvised paediatric consultation on site.
On 02.03.2023 I travelled to Turkey and, after getting a picture of the situation, I was able to start right away.
We drove from tent village to tent village and carried out consultations partly under the open sky. In the process, I encountered very similar clinical pictures and questions as in our practice in Thalwil.
In the disaster area, I treated infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract, infections of the digestive tract and skin infections. Fortunately, I was also allowed to carry out preventive medical check-ups for infants and toddlers and to provide counselling for everyday questions on the topics of development, sleep, nutrition and growth.
Trauma counselling is provided by local psychologists who speak directly to and train the children, as well as the parents and caregivers.
Our impression was that humanitarian aid is primarily provided by private aid organisations, which we were able to support with donations.
The donated money went directly to the procurement of medicine and material as well as to 2 local aid organisations. One of them takes care of the procurement of tents, sanitary facilities, stoves.
The other finances direct psychological care for children and young people and trains teachers to deal with trauma.
Many houses are no longer standing or are so badly damaged that it is no longer possible to live in them. People are very afraid of further quakes and therefore sleep in tents. In the morning and at night it is still very cold.
Despite all the suffering, it was a great privilege for me to be able to help in this way in my father’s homeland.
You have made this possible. For your overwhelming willingness to help, the helpers on site, the people affected, we at Arcus and I personally thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Best regards
Selim Sevinç
