GovWire

The UK government has sent a team of medical personnel to Turkey with surgical capabilities and equipment to support the earthquake emergency response. The team has set up a medical treatment facility in eastern Turkey next to a hospital severely damaged in the earthquake.

Within a day of arriving, the team had already started treating patients (Monday 13 February). Whilst the clinic is providing emergency medical treatment, the team will start building the larger field hospital with 24/7 operating theatre, a high dependency unit and beds for in-patient care. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has joined up with Ministry of Defence (MoD) to set up and run a comprehensive emergency medical facility.

The UK team made up of roughly 110 emergency medical personnel from medical charity UK-Med and MoD, who will work side-by-side with Turkish medical staff in Turkoglu to provide urgent, life-saving care.

The medical team will treat people who have sustained traumatic injuries, as well as people suffering from the secondary effects of the earthquake.

The MoD has also sent a C130 Hercules aircraft and critical care air support team (CCAST) to help provide vital emergency treatment and move casualties within Turkey.

The UK medical team has been in country since 7 February to assess needs on the ground and coordinate with Turkish authorities. The UK government funds the Emergency Medical Team (EMT), delivered by UK-Med, which is on standby to provide rapid, coordinated and appropriate medical assistance in the immediate aftermath of humanitarian disasters.

The emergency medical support is part of the package of humanitarian assistance to Turkey and Syria announced by the UK government on Wednesday 8 February following the devastating earthquakes.