Medical supplies worth $846K sent to Türkiye, Syria since massive quakes, says India

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – India has sent emergency medical supplies worth over 70 million Indian rupees (approximately $846,095) that include life-saving medicines, protective gear, and critical care equipment since last week's deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Indian government is presently sending relief materials, medicines, equipment, and rescuers to earthquake-hit Türkiye and Syria under “Operation Dost,” or Friendship Operation.

So far, the government has dispatched seven flights to the two countries, the ministry said in a statement.

When two powerful earthquakes hit Türkiye and Syria on Feb. 6, three truckloads of relief materials were arranged to provide 5,945 tons of emergency aid, "consisting of life-saving emergency medicines and protective items within 12 hours." These included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items, and three categories of critical care equipment worth approximately 20 million Indian rupees (about $241,602), it said.

On Feb. 10, a larger shipment of relief materials was arranged, with the consignment for Syria consisting of "72 critical care drugs, consumables, and protective items of 7.3 tons" and valued at 14 million Indian rupees (about $169,133).

Relief materials sent to Türkiye included “14 types of medical and critical care equipment,” worth 40 million Indian rupees (approximately $483,238), the statement said.

In the same statement, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that India is assisting the two countries in the spirit of its age-old tradition of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family).

On Feb. 6, two massive earthquakes struck southern Türkiye.

The magnitude 7.6 and 7.7 tremors were centered in Kahramanmaras and hit nine other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

They also hit several countries and caused widespread destruction in northern Syria.

More than 31,974 people were killed in Türkiye, according to the latest official figures, while the death toll topped 3,600 in Syria.