Turkey sends field hospital in Darfur
April 12, 2006 (ANKARA) — Turkey will open a field hospital in Darfur region of Sudan within the framework of assistance to Africa, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
Releasing a statement, the ministry said two executives of the Turkish Red Crescent had gone to Sudan on 30 March to determine the needs of the region.
“Five C-130 cargo planes of the Turkish Air Forces will ship a fully-equipped field hospital to the region,” the statement said.
The hospital has a 50-bed capacity and two operating rooms, the Turkish Anatolia news agency reported.
The statement recalled that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had paid a visit to Sudan between 27-29 March and seen the tough living conditions of around 30,000 people in Otach refugee camp, ordered establishment of a field hospital in the region.
Since war broke out in Darfur more than three years ago, the fighting and a dire humanitarian crisis have left up to 300,000 people dead and more than two million displaced.
(ST)