Speaking to reporters, Ghebreyesus said WHO has sent 35 tons of necessary medical equipment to meet basic needs of the injured affected by the earthquake.

A second batch will arrive in Syria in the coming hours with about 30 tons of medical equipment and devices, he said.

In turn, Syrian Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghobash said Ghebreyesus’ visit is very important to get a close look at the damage caused by the earthquake as well as the current shortage of medical equipment and medicines in local hospitals.

Meanwhile, WHO’s regional director for the Middle East Ahmed Al-Mandhari called on international agencies to act urgently to deliver aid to the affected population.

We demand assistance in various forms, especially from international organizations. We must act urgently to secure the people who have been affected, the UN official said.

The Syrian government had declared Aleppo, Latakia, Idlib and Hama, the most affected by the earthquake, as disaster zones, while the Head of the Relief Committee Hussein Makhlouf reported that as many as 294,000 people were left homeless.

At least 5,000 Syrians died and 7,000 others were injured during the death-dealing earthquake that shook several regions of Turkey and Syria last Monday, according to health organizations.

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