The "Town Twinning Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg - Dêrik" association supports the twinned community in coping with the pandemic with a mobile clinic. Through donations and the support of the Berlin State Development Centre (LEZ) within the framework of a Covid-19 special programme for Berlin development projects, the association was able to set up a Mobile Clinic in a short time. In mid-October, the Mobile Clinic began its work in the area around Dêrik in north-east Syria. It is intended to provide people in the villages around Dêrik with low-threshold access to medical care and thus improve the prevention and treatment of diseases.

The vehicle was purchased from donations for the association and from the 'Foundation of the Free Woman in Syria' (WJAS). The medical equipment and medication was financed by the Berlin State Development Centre (LEZ).

The town twinning between the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district and the town of Dêrik in North East Syria has been in existence since February 2019. The association supports the twinning with projects in the areas of ecology, women, education, health and refugee aid.

Dêrik is a corona hotspot in northeast Syria

Dêrik, the twin town of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, is a corona hotspot in north-eastern Syria. A curfew has been in force there since November 6th. All schools, institutions, places of worship, markets, industrial shops, stadiums and restaurants are closed. Food shops are only open in the mornings. It is forbidden to enter or leave the city, except in emergencies and supply transports and ambulances. Dêrik is currently the city with the most Covid-19 infections in the north-east of Syria.

The region is home to many internal refugees due to Turkey's annexations in violation of international law and its jihadist militias. They all need to be taken care of by the local government. International aid is scarce; the area is subject to an 'all-round embargo'. The medical infrastructure has been largely destroyed by the ten-year-long war and continuous attacks by Turkey. In the Corona crisis, there is currently a dramatic shortage of protective equipment, masks, gloves, testing facilities, medicines and respiratory equipment.

Mobile clinic to serve Dêrik area

The Mobile Clinic is therefore immensely important for the health care of the region, as there is no comprehensive basic medical care in the area around Dêrik. The distances to the nearest health centre or hospital are often very long and arduous. With the Mobile Clinic, the association wants to provide more people in the rural area with low-threshold access to medical care.

The Mobile Clinic travels to the villages on 3 weekdays and offers a general medical consultation hour. The medical team provided by the Women's Foundation WJAS consists exclusively of female staff. Especially now in the corona pandemic, good basic medical care and corona prevention is essential for survival.

In order to secure the work of the Mobile Clinic in the long term with medication, test kits, protective equipment and the salaries of the staff, the association is still asking for support through donations, saying, “We are volunteers and forward 100% of the donations to the Mobile Clinic team. If you need a German tax certificate for donations, please state your name and address on the transfer form.”

Donation account:

Owner: Staedtepartnerschaft Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg – Dêrik e.V.

IBAN: DE54 4306 0967 1225 6804 00

BIC: GENODEM1GLS

Bank: GLS Bank

Keyword: Mobile Klinik