6 March 2023 – The Novo Nordisk Foundation is granting Danish Krone (DKK) 13 million (approximately €1.75 million) to provide lifesaving emergency relief, as well as health and food assistance to northwest Syria following the recent earthquakes.
Two weeks after a series of devastating earthquakes hit Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic, another strong earthquake hit the Region on 20 February 2023.
The need for support to earthquake-affected people in the 2 countries is still immense. To mitigate the consequences of the earthquakes the grant will be divided between 3 organizations with existing operations in northwest Syria:
Up to DKK 5 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide emergency food assistance.
Up to DKK 2 million to DanChurchAid (DCA) to provide relief and food assistance.
“Northwest Syria is already affected by existing large-scale humanitarian needs after years of conflict. With the additional damage from the earthquakes, there is an immense need for humanitarian assistance and continued international attention,” says Flemming Konradsen, Senior Vice President, Social and Humanitarian, Novo Nordisk Foundation.
“Prolonged war and sanctions have resulted in many hospitals without critical medical equipment. If they were functional, they could have saved more lives. This generous donation will support WHO efforts in rebuilding the health system in northwest Syria, eroded by so many years of crisis and the recent earthquakes,” said Dr Iman Shankiti, WHO Representative in Syria.
Immediately after the earthquakes on 6 February, the Novo Nordisk Foundation granted a total of DKK 5 million (€671.00) divided between the Danish Red Cross and the Danish Refugee Council in support of their work with people affected by the disaster in northwest Syria.