Turkish agency sends aid to countries amid coronavirus

ANKARA, SKOPJE, BEIRUT (AA) - A Turkish state-run aid agency sent aid packages to North Macedonia, Lebanon and Tunisia amid novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

In North Macedonia, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) distributed 2,500 packages of food, cleaning and hygiene products with the help of a local non-governmental organization.

Turkey's Ambassador to Skopje Hasan Mehmet Sekizkok thanked TIKA and emphasized the importance of collaboration in these difficult times.

TIKA also sent help packages to Lebanon as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

The campaign was initiated by the Turkish Embassy in Beirut to help over 600 families in need living in the cities of Tripoli and Akkar.

Hakan Cakil, Turkish ambassador in Beirut, told Anadolu Agency that this move shows Turkey’s desire to contribute to the Lebanese people’s efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic across the country at a time when the whole world is struggling against the virus.

TIKA will also provide medical equipment to Lebanon in the following days, including masks, sterilization machines for medical goggles and gloves.

In Tunisia, TIKA sent a medical screening device to a hospital in the country.

The hospital in the capital’s Aryana region was chosen by Tunisian Health Ministry, and TIKA contributed to Tunisia's fight against the coronavirus by "providing a radiological screening system, DXR panel detector and a laser printer," said a statement by TIKA's Tunisia office.

TIKA is also preparing a project with Tunisian National Crafts Office, in order to support the production of masks, protective clothes in the country, agency's Tunisia coordinator Saliha Tuna said.

*Writing by Firdevs Bulut and Zehra Nur Duz