RCA delivers more relief aid to Somalia

Hergeisa - May 10, 2009 (WAM) - The UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) has distributed large quantities of relief supplies to villagers at Jabeli, Kalabide and suburbs of Hergeisa region as part of its campaign to relieve displaced and underprivileged families hit by drought.
The humanitarian assistance were delivered in coordination with the Somali Red Crescent. Around 100 tents and food rations were delivered to a poor district inhabited by 3,500 refugee families.
Part of these assistance were handed today to the Hergeisa General Hospital which is facing acute shortage in medical materials and specialisations as part of the RCA to enable the hospital provide essential health care to patients.
Dr. Yasin Arab, Director of the hospital, said the RCA's assistance had come on time as hundreds of patients were waiting for medical care.
He thanked H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and President of the RCA, for offering to build a renal centre at the hospital to provide health care to kidney patients. He said the RCA's ophthalmologists had treated many cases. He regretted that the hospital has no facilities to cure several cardiac and ear diseases.
Dr. Saleh Al Taie, Acting Deputy RCA Secretary General for Relief and Projects, said more aid would be dispatched to improve the humanitarian situation in Somalia.
Saleh Al Jaberi, head of relief and member of the RCA team, said 27 tonnes of food assistance including wheat and rice were distributed today to drought-affected regions.–