In coordination with the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) Office of Syrian Communities Abroad, the SOC headed by Nasr al-Hariri, and the presence of Head of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) Abdurrahman Mustafa, the Minister of Health Maram al-Sheikh, and Coordinator of the Office Muhammad Yahya Maktabi held a virtual meeting with heads of the Syrian communities in the US, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. They discussed the latest developments in the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in northwestern Syria, ways of prevention and the role of communities in supporting measures to stem the virus.
Al-Hariri underscored the important role of the Syrian communities abroad in providing humanitarian and medical support to the liberated areas to help confront the pandemic. He said that there is an urgent need for laboratory tools, ventilators, and improving the health centers in the liberated areas.
He also talked about the deteriorating health situation in the regime-held areas which lives in a state of denial. He warned of the pandemic explosion as he stressed the need to release the detainees and prevent the regime from using the pandemic as a cover0up for its crimes against detainees.
SIG’s head gave an explanation about the proactive measures SIG has taken even before the outbreak of the pandemic in the liberated areas, as he said that this contributed to delaying the arrival of the virus to the region.
Minister of Health presented a set of studies and statistics prepared by the Ministry on the role of precautionary measures in reducing the number of infections. He also put forward several suggestions, including speeding up the establishment of isolation centers, supplying large quantities of sterilizers, masks and detergents, the restoration of health facilities that were bombed out of service, and increasing the treatment centers in the operating hospitals.
He also called for developing a project to manufacture masks, launch awareness raising campaigns on the need to avoid gatherings, abide by social distancing, and closing restaurants.
For their part, heads of the Syrian communities abroad stressed the importance of setting a joint strategic plan between the SOC and SIG and the Syrian communities abroad to confront this serious pandemic, and prepare a study on the needs and then holding technical meetings to implement the plan.
Maktabi thanked the Syrian communities around the world for their support for their Syrian brethren. He said: “Despite the hard economic conditions experienced by the world and the Syrian expatriates, they did not hesitate to provide all types of support to alleviate the impact of this pandemic. We are all confident that they will carry on with these efforts.” (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
