Donates 13 ambulances to 1122
Staff Reporter Peshawar
UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Friday highly commended Pakistani people especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for generosity towards Afghan refugees during COVID-19 emergency situation and for sharing critical health resources with them for decades.
As a token of appreciation and solidarity, the UN body donated 13 ambulances to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Rescue 1122 emergency fleet and 1 ambulance to the Project Directorate Health, Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees, KP.
In a video message, UNHCR’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Indrika Ratwatte, praised the generosity of the people and Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards refugees.
“The capacity support provided by the ambulances to the Government is a token of our solidarity and appreciation for the dedication and care shown towards refugees.
We hope these ambulances will add to the outreach services provided by Rescue 1122, especially to people in areas that are hard to reach with critical medical and emergency services,” he said.
UNHCR’s Head of Sub-Office in Peshawar Bernard Inkoom also commended the work of Rescue 1122, adding that UNHCR was standing with the KP’s emergency services and the people of Pakistan, just as Pakistan, its people and the local medical services here had stood in solidarity with Afghan refugees and shared critical health resources with them so generously for decades.”
Addressing the ceremony, the Additional Health Secretary Fazal Akbar welcomed the efforts of UNHCR and the international community to support host communities in Pakistan.
“The long-lasting partnership of UNHCR and the Government of KP is very important in our effort to address health and medical needs, especially during the current pandemic. We are committed to providing critical medical assistance to everyone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including refugees.”
Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary Amer Latif thanked UNHCR for the additional support of the 14 ambulances.
“These ambulances will assist us greatly with increased numbers of patients requiring emergency transportation at this time in different districts,” he said.
He added the support of UNHCR during these extraordinary times has shown yet again the good collaboration that exists between UNHCR and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
