Fifteen devices for intensive care ventilation therapy for Covid 19 patients arrived in Qamishlo at the beginning of the week. The devices were financed with 345,000 euros collected by the “100 ventilators for Rojava” campaign and shipped from the Italian location of the Kurdish Red Crescent Organization Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê to northeast Syria. According to those responsible, the machines will now be distributed to hospitals in the region as required.

The coronavirus is also spreading in northern and eastern Syria. So far, 7,777 corona infections have been registered in the autonomous area (as of December 21). The number of deaths in connection with the disease is currently 259.

However, since the corona test capacities in the region are very limited, the number of unreported infections in the population is likely to be quite high. There is a chronic shortage in PCR tests.

In any case, Rojava is de facto on its own in the fight against the pandemic, and the WHO hardly provides any support worth mentioning. Added to this are the conditions of the occupation, the continued attacks by jihadist groups and the Turkish state, an extensive embargo and the destruction of medical infrastructure.

Because of this, the Rojava health system is at the limit of its resilience. Four million people and 600,000 internally displaced people live in the Autonomous Administration region of North and East Syria. Although personnel have been trained and hospitals have been built, there is a lack of medicines, technical infrastructure and protective equipment.

"We would like to thank all the supporters who made the purchase of the first fifteen ventilators possible," said Süleyman Ahmed, representative for the office of the Health Council of North and East Syria. Together with Dilgeş Îsa from the board of directors of the Rojava section of the Kurdish Red Crescent, Ahmed had the opportunity to inspect the apparatus on Monday.

In the corona crisis, ventilators are considered essential for the treatment of patients seriously ill with Covid-19. But it is precisely these machines that are most lacking in North and East Syria.

Against this background, Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê launched a campaign last November calling for the donation of 100 ventilators. The aid organization based in Troisdorf near Cologne has calculated that the price for each device, including transport costs to Rojava, is 23,000 euros. For the remaining 75 devices, a total of one million 750,000 euros are required.

Süleyman Ahmed said: “Another request on our part is support in the procurement of basic medical protective equipment, medication for the treatment of infected people, sterile material for smears, more test kits for the quick identification of cases as well as instruments / aids to prevent infections. We lack everything in North and East Syria. We hope and build on the solidarity of our people and our friends in these difficult times.”