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WHO has donated four additional ambulances for medical evacuation and repatriation operations from Ukraine to Poland. WHO funding has enabled the Humanosh Foundation to purchase previously owned vans, which are subsequently converted into emergency ambulances. These retrofitted units are a critical element in the medical evacuation operation, known as medevac. Following the handover ceremony in Rzeszów, they will soon be deployed to the field, reinforcing medevac convoys and saving the lives of Ukrainian patients. The increased fleet of ambulances will allow the transport of more patients from further areas of Ukraine.

In Ukraine, the inoperability of medical facilities, an increasing number of civilian casualties and months of disruption of services for patients with severe chronic illnesses have made clear the need to refer and evacuate patients for life-saving treatment in other European countries, including Poland.

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Estimated Total Population: 294 million (World Bank)

Acutely Food Insecure Population (high level): 46.3 million (IPC 3+ crisis or worse)

Number of Refugees: 4.5 million (UNHCR)

Internally Displaced People: 13.5 million (UNHCR)

Estimated acutely malnourished children (under 5 years): 1.8 million (Somalia), 1.4 million (South Sudan), 884k (Kenya) and 104K (Uganda)

Estimated severely acute malnourished children (under 5 years): 514k (Somalia), 346k (South Sudan), 223k (Kenya) and 16.5k (Uganda).

WHO steering 4 health clusters and coordinating 262 partners in service of 21.5 million people (Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia)

Attacks on health care: 73 attacks, 113 injuries, 93 deaths (Jan 21-Dec 22 in 3 countries)

Under- five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births, IGME 2020): Somalia 115, South Sudan 98, Sudan 57

Ongoing outbreaks as of 16 December 2022: Measles (6 countries), Cholera (4 countries), Yellow Fever (2 countries), Mpox, Hepatitis E, Polio, Dengue, Anthrax, Malaria, Ebola disease (caused by Sudan virus)

Funding requirements: US$ 178 million (Jan-Dec 2023)

The Greater Horn of Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable geographical areas in relation to impacts of climate change and is currently experiencing one of the worst food insecurity situations in decades. It is estimated that more than 46 million people are in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 or above.

The sub-region is home to a large pastoralist population with significant vulnerabilities. Currently, the region, which includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda is experiencing rising food insecurity due to extreme climate events such as drought and flooding, as well as conflict, socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and volatile food and fuel prices, all of which are contributing to the creation of a huge humanitarian crisis. Regardless of future rainfall performance, the recovery period from a drought this severe will take years, with extremely high humanitarian needs even set to increase in 2023.

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Airmen assigned to the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) Flight work around the clock to support the global rush of humanitarian aid and disaster relief aircraft transiting through Incirlik Air Base.

Since the Feb. 6 earthquakes occurred, POL Airmen have supplied more than 1 million gallons of jet fuel distributed for humanitarian efforts, during which more than 4,000 aircraft sorties carrying over 18,000 tons of cargo have transited through the airfield of Incirlik AB. This fuel enables the U.S. military to rapidly respond with critically needed capabilities and life-saving equipment to aid areas the government of Türkiye deems necessary.

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A total of 282 United Nations trucks transporting aid for earthquake victims in northwest Syria have passed through three border crossings with Türkiye over the past two weeks, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

Seventeen trucks arrived in the region that day via two crossings – Bab Al-Hawa and Bab Al-Salaam – carrying aid provided by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR; the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

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HLA is supporting the collection of logistics and supply chain needs assessment information and the dissemination of knowledge. If you are currently in the earthquake affected areas and/or have information to share with local and international networks, please get in touch via this channel, our social media channels or via email to info@humanitarianlogistics.org

Turkish diplomat quotes-

"Dost" is a common word in Turkish and Hindi... We have a Turkish proverb: "Dost kara günde belli olur" (a friend in need is a friend indeed). Thank you very much

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Indian rescue and medical personnel have been sent to Turkey. 

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), a meeting was conducted where it was determined that the NDRF's search and rescue teams, medical teams, and relief supplies would be sent out right away in collaboration with the Turkish government. 

Two teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), each with 100 members with trained dogs, are prepared to be flown to the earthquake-affected area for search and rescue operations, according to a statement from the PMO. These teams will include specially trained dog squads as well as the required equipment.

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Authorities in Doha stated on Friday that Qatar and France discussed various ways to cooperate in efforts to offer humanitarian relief and development support to the Syrian people.

Brigitte Curmi, France's Special Envoy for Syria, spoke with officials from Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Qatar Fund for Development, Education Above All, Qatar Charity, and France's ambassador to Qatar, MOFA stated in a statement.

No other information was revealed on the collaborative initiatives, but the meetings take place as Syria and Turkey, the country that mostly supports the military and political opposition in Syria, move closer to one another. 

Before an official "presidential summit" is convened, officials have been back and forth since the Turkish and Syrian defence ministers met in Moscow in late December.

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A number of African nations experiencing a food crisis, local conflicts, and displaced people have received an additional 25.5 million euros ($27.4 million) in humanitarian help from the European Union, the European Commission announced on Thursday.

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In response to the disastrous floods that struck Pakistan last year and left 1,739 people dead and 33 million people impacted, the United States has offered an additional USD 100 million for its recovery and rehabilitation efforts. Ned Price, a spokesperson for the State Department, told reporters at a press conference held here on Monday that humanitarian aid will also be included in the financing to support flood relief and recovery operations in refugee-hosting communities.

"I am pleased to share that today the United States announced an additional USD 100 million of recovery and reconstruction funding, bringing our total contribution to over USD 200 million," he said. According to Price, the additional USD 100 million in financing would be used for infrastructure rehabilitation, disease surveillance, economic growth, renewable energy, and food security as well as flood prevention and governance. 

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(Beirut) – Turkish airstrikes since November 20, 2022, are inflicting damage on densely populated areas and critical infrastructure across north and northeast Syria and exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis for Kurds, Arabs, and other communities in the region, Human Rights Watch said today.

The strikes have displaced families, caused significant power cuts and fuel shortages, forced aid organizations to temporarily suspend certain activities, and led to school and work disruptions, international humanitarian workers and local residents told Human Rights Watch. The NES NGO forum, the lead coordination body for nongovernmental organizations working in northeast Syria, warned in a November 25 statement of the harm that targeting energy infrastructure could have on the environment and on the current water crisis in the region.

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