Summary: April 22, 2003: Commission decides to airlift first part of emergency medical aid to Iraq (Brussels)
The European Commission has adopted an emergency humanitarian aid decision for €10 million to meet urgent medical needs in Iraq. The new decision is an immediate answer to the breakdown of law and order that followed the fall of the Iraqi regime and that has affected all aspects of civilian life. This is part of a wider co-ordinated effort involving EU Member States and the Commission, as announced by the President during the European Council in Athens last week.
The funding, channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), was announced today by Poul Nielson, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. Speaking in Brussels, he said; "It is clear that the war has seriously affected the delivery of basic health services in Iraq. As always, children are among the worst-affected and it is vital that adequate treatment should be available for these innocent victims of the conflict."
In the first instance, the Commission - working together with humanitarian agencies - will obviously try to ensure treatment for children inside the country, but - as a part of our wider co-operation effort with Member States and NGO's - also stands ready to organise medical evacuations if the treatment is not available locally.
Treatment will be organised in neighbouring countries or in EU Member States if the necessary treatment is not available in the region.
Mr. Nielson continued: "Restoring power and clean water is a top priority. There are also serious shortages of supplies such as liquid oxygen and anaesthetics that are required for operations. Hospitals are in dire need of ventilators for intensive care units, intravenous fluids, injectable antibiotics and basic items such as bedding."
The new funding will be used for a range of urgent actions including:
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