Over the last seven years of the conflict, the SARC has been instrumental in providing health care and referral services to millions of people in conflict-affected areas. Its volunteers have gone into areas of active conflict to rescue thousands of people while not hesitating to put their own lives at risk. Its skilled ambulance teams have evacuated ill and wounded patients from highly dangerous areas, in the middle of active conflict. In doing so, they have sometimes suffered their own losses.
"We highly appreciate the support of the Japanese government to SARC and the Syrian people. The grant provided via WHO will contribute to increasing and enhancing the health services provided by SARC, specifically during urgent responses to critical cases all over the country." said Eng. Khalid Hboubati, the President of the SARC. "Given the sheer scale of suffering in Syria, we have increased our response in order to meet more of the humanitarian needs. We welcome every humanitarian initiative that would strengthen our capacity to reach the most vulnerable people", he added.
Elizabeth Hoff, the WHO Representative in Syria, also thanked the Government of Japan for its continuing generous support. “Thanks to this new contribution from Japan, we have been able to deliver 16 ambulances to the SARC, allowing it to expand its services at a critical time”, she said. “As the situation in Syria gradually stabilizes and more and more people return to their homes, the support of donors like Japan will be needed more than ever.”
