Our co-founder, Dr. Monzer H Yazji, went to Turkey and Syria on a medical mission to help support staff and victims both physically and mentally.
On the first two days he stayed in Turkey, meeting with Turkish government officials to see how UOSSM could support staff on the ground there, and how to coordinate response efforts in Syria. He also discussed with officials deploying a team from UOSSM doctors around the world to work in the field hospital created by the Emirates government. In addition he was on the ground in Hatay, to see where he could support local teams on the ground there.
Dr. Yazji then went to Syria for two days on a medical mission to witness the damage, assess UOSSM’s response and needs, evaluate hospitals and medical facilities, and provide medical care, and victim support in northwest Syria.
On his first day there, Dr. Yazji, along with a team from UOSSM, including Country Director, Dr. Daher Zedan, visited the hardest hit area of Jandaris. The team visited the Afreen hospital, the local health council of Jandaris, and the mobile clinic operating in the emergency shelter area. In the mobile clinic Dr. Yazji provided medical care to earthquake victims who were newly displaced. Towards the end of the first day, Dr. Yazji and the UOSSM team visited UOSSM’s Aqrabat Hospital, where they assessed the hospital to ensure everything is running smoothly, evaluated needs, and met and spent time with patients who were victims of the earthquake.
On the second day, Dr. Yazji and a team of UOSSM representatives visited with the director of the Idlib Health Directorate, Dr. Zuhair AlQarrat to discuss response and coordination efforts in the area. Next, the team visited UOSSM’s Diagnostic Lab, the UOSSM Dialysis Center, the Al Hikma Specialty Hospital, and the Andalusia Surgical Hospital to evaluate the facilities, know needs and shortages, and meet with and provide support to doctors and staff.
Dr. Yazji participated in some surgeries of earthquake victims to share his knowledge and expertise.
You can watch a video here of one of the surgeries Dr. Yazji participated in.
