Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers will be sending aid to Libya after the North African country experienced catastrophic flooding that killed more than 5,000 people and left another 10,000 missing.
Founder of the organisation, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said they have been inundated with calls from the Libyan Presidency and other Libyan state agencies requesting highly qualified personnel to assist their distraught nation.
Sooliman said they responded instantly with a team of 70 officials including medical, search and rescue and aquatic specialists with all the relevant equipment, communication systems, life locator and boats.
He said they also had support from Gauteng and Limpopo emergency services and SAPS K9 Unit.
Sooliman said the team will take with them body bags, formalin, medical supplies, consumables, PPE's, gloves, baby food, fortified food and energy drinks.
However, it was not easy to fly the supplies due political conflict going on in the country.
“The high risk situation in Libya with many armed groups, two separate governments and the exorbitant flight insurance, made it practically impossible to find a carrier, the one that agreed had a price tag of R16 million.
“We did not want to leave the Libyan people empty handed in the hour of their greatest need,” said Sooliman.
According to Sooliman, they are in discussion with medical companies to airlift medical supplies from UAE to Tripoli.
Those wanting to support this humanitarian initiative can deposit into Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg, Account number 052278611, Branch Code 057525, ref Libya Floods
IOL