Turkish doctors providing health services in Nepal

Doctors from the Istanbul-based The Alliance of International Doctors (AID) say they have aided more than 500,000 people in Nepal in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that rocked the country on April 25.

AID has been providing healthcare to quake survivors since tents were erected in the city of Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. "Bhaktapur is one of the most-affected regions in Nepal. People have lost their homes and they are living in very difficult conditions," said AID doctor Nedim Uzun on Sunday. He said AID needed more doctors to volunteer, adding, "Our teams are working with their heart and soul."

He said more than 200 people had died and more than 2,000 were wounded in Bhaktapur following the earthquake and consequent public health problems. Uzun stressed that there was a shortage of drinking water and medicine in the regions affected by the earthquake.

AID doctors have provided more than 30,000 chlorine removers and masks to people to help them clean water supplies. It has also taken the temperatures and vital signs of about 40,000 people and examined more than 500,000.

The number of dead in Nepal following the earthquake rose to 7,056 on Sunday as rescuers continue to find more bodies.The Alliance of International Doctors is known for their aid efforts in Turkey as well as internationally. The organization initiated a health project for Syrian refugees in Turkey that provides free medical screening in refugee camps in the southeastern Turkish provinces of Şanlıurfa and Diyarbakır.

AID also continues to lend a helping hand to disadvantaged countries, especially in Africa. In order to minimize the infection risk of Malaria – one of the prominent causes of death in African countries – the organization distributes mosquito nets in Uganda. In another project, AID distributed free medicine worth $150,000 and provided free check-up services to refugees in Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya last year. Moreover, the organization conducted 150,000 eye examinations and performed 30,000 cataract surgeries in Niger, one of the poorest African countries.