A shipment of medical aid coming from China has arrived yesterday at Baghdad International Airport in the first foreign initiative to support Iraq in facing the Coronavirus, which has killed four people and infected 54 others who are still receiving medical care in Iraqi hospitals. In light of the escalating needs to confront the virus, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS)  is intensifying its efforts in the awareness campaigns and the preventive measures and strengthening the capabilities of health institutions in providing medical services to the affected people by supporting the partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The President of the IRCS, Dr. Yassin Ahmed Abbas said, “The Chinese Red Cross is always on top to provide assistance to the IRCS, despite the conditions that the Chinese people are going through and the challenges related to confronting the Coronavirus and the great damage it has caused in the number of Chinese cities, but these conditions did not prevent the Chinese Red Cross from extending a helping hand to the Iraqis, this calls for more thanks to these humanitarian positions that strengthen the partnership between the two parts”.
Yesterday, an Iraqi Airways plane landed carried more than (50,000) laboratory test strips for the virus, protective suits, medical masks, and more than (6) tons of medical supplies accompanied by a team of experts from the Chinese Red Cross, which was handed over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health after the coordination they reached it between the Iraqi and Chinese organizations and transported it on an Iraqi Airways plane.
Dr. Abbas has added, “The President of Chinese Red Cross (Chen Zhu) has expressed willingness to help the efforts of the Iraqi Red Crescent and Iraqi health institutions in facing the virus, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, the crisis cell and the Ministry of Transport have assisted in Delivering this aid, which will help the people who work in the medical services and patients in receiving treatment. ”