In a preliminary and urgent response to the port of Beirut explosion, INARA deployed a team of certified paramedics, registered nurses, and volunteers at ground zero to assist in providing first aid and help families evacuate the areas affected by the blast.
INARA’s team contacted and followed up on all our war-wounded children and refugee families for a quick assessment of their situation and vulnerability to various dangers, it is with great relief that we inform you that none of them sustained any injury from the explosion or the aftermath. However, our families are still in dire need of food, support, and essentials to fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the rise of COVID cases and the current pressure on hospitals, INARA has decided to put all medical cases on hold, and shift to emergency response in support of the families and the host community.
The massive chemical explosion that took place inside the seaport has devastated the city, leaving great portions of it in rubble and thousands rushed to medical centers. The hospitals, which were already suffering from a shortage in equipment and manpower following the economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, soon reached overcapacity. Additionally, two of the main hospitals in the city are out of service after sustaining critical damage from the blast itself.
Over the course of this week, INARA will continue to work in the field in our medical tent, assess the needs of both our cases and the local community.
It is in such hard times that we call upon everyone to give a helping hand, by either joining the organizations already working on-field or donating to INARA on inara.org/donate so we can continue to offer access to medical treatment for the most vulnerable.