Ireland to help deliver emergency medical supplies to Tripoli hospitals

Announcing the funding, the Tánaiste said that Ireland would provide the funds to the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) to support its efforts to provide medical and surgical supplies to hospitals treating those wounded by the hostilities. 

“With fighting continuing in several areas of Libya, including residential areas in Tripoli, hospitals are running desperately short of medical supplies.  Scores of civilians have been killed or injured, and medical assistance is urgently required.  This funding will help the ICRC scale up their operations in the Libyan capital, deploy surgical teams and equip local hospitals with medical supplies to treat the casualties”. 

The Minister of State for Trade and Development Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., said that the ICRC, which has had a permanent presence in Tripoli since April, is in a strong position to deliver the assistance.

“The ICRC is working directly with some of the main hospitals in Tripoli and has already delivered enough emergency supplies to treat several hundred casualties.  Further consignments are likely to include surgical kits, dressing materials and drug supplies.  Ireland’s support will also allow the ICRC to visit prisoners and those arrested or detained in relation to the conflict”.

The €100,000 announced today brings the value of the Government’s response to the crisis in Libya to almost €1.3 million, including funding provided to the International Organisation for Migration and tents and blankets for use by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

Notes for Editors:

·         Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas development programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

·         Irish Aid has previously provided €1 million in emergency funding to the International Organisation for Migration to support its efforts to evacuate migrant workers and other civilians forced to flee from the conflict. 

·         In addition, Irish Aid had earlier provided 18,500 blankets and 100 tents from its stockpile at the UN humanitarian base in Brindisi, Italy for distribution at the Tunisian border by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

 26 August 2011