The United Arab Emirates Ministry of International Cooperation and Development has announced the signing of a 1-year, $1 million agreement with the World Health Organization to support the organization’s Syria Crisis Response initiative.
The agreement was signed by H.E. Hazza Al Qahtani, undersecretary for the Ministry of International Cooperation and Development (MICAD), and Elizabeth Hoff, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria. The agreement specifies the provision of artificial limbs and assistive devices for people affected by the Syria crisis. Statistics indicate that more than 750,000 men, women and children have had an injury resulting in the loss of an upper or lower limb or both.
“This agreement is testament to the UAE’s support to regional and international humanitarian issues and we are proud to work with the WHO on this important cause which aims to change the lives of many by giving them hope for the future,” Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of MICAD, stated in a press release. “We hope this project opens the door for further collaboration in future, as we remain committed to providing assistance to those affected by the unfortunate conflict in Syria.”
MICAD and WHO have agreed to work jointly to help individuals affected by the Syrian crisis. The UAE’s monetary contribution is expected to supply 700 patients in Syria with artificial limbs, in addition to repairing artificial limbs for another 300 patients.
“This contribution, which comes at a time when funding is critically short for the health sector and humanitarian needs are sharply increasing, demonstrates the commitment of the UAE to support humanitarian response in Syria through a strategic partnership with WHO,” Hoff stated in the release. “When a crisis turns peoples’ lives upside down, we count on the strong support of our partners and Member States to alleviate the pain of people in need. This benevolent donation of the UAE will contribute to the provision of prosthetics to hundreds of Syrians directly affected by the conflict.”
The project includes a work plan with a timeframe of activities and risk management strategy. MICAD and WHO also will monitor and evaluate the results to ensure the effectiveness of the project.
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