The Middle East And Its Humanitarian Action Against COVID-19

posted on: Jul 14, 2020

By: Yasmina Hage/ Arab America Contributing Writer

In a time of crisis like today, everyone is working to make themselves useful. As a reminder, Arabs are very present abroad for generations and many of them feel concerned with what affects their host country. So, they will try to find ways/ideas to help. Moreover, some of the Middle East countries, unlike others, do not have sufficient resources to fight this crisis, and many people live from day to day. As a result, they cannot survive during containment. Fortunately, in these countries, many people are going to help their fellow human beings. We will see the ideas and humanitarian aid they have implemented to deal with it.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, because of the revolution and now coronavirus, a lot of people don’t have enough money to buy some food during containment. To help them, FoodBlessed has doubled weekly distribution to 200 parcels, each with enough food for 150 meals.

In light of this famine crisis, the government is going to offer 400,000 Lebanese Pounds ($150) at the black market exchange rate.

Syria

The White Helmets and Syrian Civil Defence are volunteers that work in the rebel-parts of Syria. After confirmation of the first case of coronavirus in Syria, they launched an awareness and sterilization campaign.

Iraq

In Iraq, some local human rights organizations and businesses have been delivering more than 10,000 food packages to people who no longer have income and families in need.

Jordan

In Jordan, grocery stores struggle to restock food to keep up with demand flued because of coronavirus. So even those with money have a hard time getting food. In addition, Utah food bank was distributed food outside a church. The Utah food bank had planned for about 100 extra people because of coronavirus and loaded more food because of it. However, many more people than expected showed up.

Saudia Arabia

Saudi Arabia wants to convene a virtual G20 summit, bringing together the 20 world economic powers to fight against the coronavirus.

Also, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief signed an agreement with the World Health Organization to join hands against the COVID-19. As a result, the center will provide $10 million to the WHO to helps this humanitarian association against coronavirus.

United Arab Emirates

In UAE, Khurram Shroff, who is an entrepreneur, invested $5 million in research for the coronavirus vaccine. He has joined Vaxbio, who has designed a vaccine methodology that should help stop and revere the spread of contagion worldwide.

Yemen

Yemeni women bring the country’s oldest textile factory back to life to make protective masks. These women are also willing to work for free to prevent the spread of coronavirus in this war-torn country.

Oman

The Sultan of Oman Haitham ben Tarek al-Said has donated 10 million Omani Riyals ($26 million) to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

Also, more than 40 hotels volunteered to provide 2,816 hotel rooms to be used as COVID-19 relief and shelters under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.

Arabs helping countries abroad

• Togo is a West African country that doesn’t have enough resources to deal with a pandemic. It should be noted that Togo is a country that has been inhabited by a Lebanese community for a good number of years. This Lebanese community has donated 50 million FCFA ($83,333.33) to help Togo deal with the coronavirus crisis. ”Togo is our second nation. We have been living here for many years, and we consider ourselves as Togolese. We cannot remain indifferent to this disease. So, this is a small gesture that we have just made. The entire Lebanese community remains mobilized behind the country’s authorities, and we are ready to give our support to the Togolese people in these difficult times,” said Rabih Nassar, President of the Lebanese community of Togo.

• Palestinian refugees, as well as NGOs and the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees, launched a sterilization campaign to combat coronavirus in refugee camps in Lebanon. Moreover, they are taking the temperature of everyone entering and leaving the camps. The refugees are starting to create masks with the means they have at their disposal.

Sources:

https://images.app.goo.gl/tJ6dJoCxDtJaTP5X7

https://images.app.goo.gl/XLnFdnvpfif4vM2e6

https://images.app.goo.gl/eyTXbZmSuBA7tJVf7

https://images.app.goo.gl/eGtaNzHK2CHvz5VaA

https://images.app.goo.gl/p8Ayuv3pLD8nsKLY7

https://images.app.goo.gl/8NMem7vFpUMVVkmKA

https://images.app.goo.gl/wvGF3UzUT6aAHrFg6

https://images.app.goo.gl/gK16WT147oso11wP7

https://images.app.goo.gl/fRVmoXR7ZcS6US6R9

Palestine refugees in Lebanon start anti-coronavirus sterilisation drive

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