The donation from the Government of Japan for US$ 700 000 will enable WHO to provide life-saving medical supplies to existing health facilities, establish temporary health facilities and mobile clinics across the country, and strengthen the existing disease surveillance system by establishing new sentinel reporting sites.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran, WHO will also provide vaccines to prevent diseases such as hepatitis A, cholera and other vaccine-preventable diseases. The donation from Japan will also support training of rapid response teams to effectively prevent, detect and respond to possible outbreaks of epidemic-prone diseases.
“The floods have not only damaged homes and infrastructure in the 17 most severely affected provinces, but also damaged a significant number of health facilities, many of which are now only partially functional or completely non-functional. This situation leaves patients with limited access to essential and life-saving health services,” said Dr Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran, during an official visit to the Embassy of Japan in Tehran.
“The support of the people of Japan to WHO and people living in Islamic Republic of Iran will contribute effectively to increasing and enhancing health services during this critical time,” he added.
H. E. Mr Mitsugu SAITO, Ambassador of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Iran, reiterated the Government of Japan’s solidarity with the people of Islamic Republic of Iran, and support to emergency and recovery efforts by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In mid-March 2019, floods hit vast parts of the country, leaving more than 10 million people in need of humanitarian aid. Of these, more than 2 million people are in need of health aid, including 161 000 people who are the most vulnerable.
In April 2019, WHO airlifted essential medical supplies to the Islamic Republic of Iran to address the growing health needs of thousands of people who had been displaced as a result of heavy flooding in many provinces in the country. The supplies included trauma, health, cholera and noncommunicable disease kits and other commodities requested by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.
