Relief from Dubai to help Sudan fight Covid

The UAE Vice-President has ordered aid flights to transport urgent relief and medical supplies from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) logistics hub in Dubai to Sudan.

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the International Humanitarian City (IHC) chartered two aircraft to deliver the aid.

Two aircraft rotations were chartered from Emirates SkyCargo, a member of the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance, to transport the relief from the Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Khartoum. WHO supplies weighing 54 metric tonnes worth $795,000 will benefit 700,000 people.

The immediate supply of life-saving medicines, medical supplies, and technical logistics personnel is critical to support the efforts of WHO and Sudan’s Ministry of Health in dealing with the health emergency and escalating crisis in the country. The supplies will alleviate critical shortages of medicines in health facilities and increase access to protective and biomedical equipment. The WHO and IHC are dispatching emergency health kits, personnel protection equipment, laboratory tests and appropriate medical supplies. Dr Nima Abid, WHO Representative in Sudan, said: “These supplies are a lifeline for people in need of health care in Sudan. Support from IHC has allowed us to deliver these supplies at a time when they are most needed, to make sure people have access to the health services they need and avoid unnecessary loss of lives.”

This marks the first time the logistics hub in Dubai is simultaneously deploying technical staff and medical supplies to accelerate a health emergency response.