Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Jorge Faurie, saw off the second team of medical doctors and primary healthcare specialists who, under the coordination of the White Helmets Commission, will travel to the Colombian city of Cúcuta, at the Colombia-Venezuela border, in order to help deal with the current humanitarian crisis in that area.
"The work of White Helmets at that border point has two goals. The main goal is to help Venezuelans with scarce resources and limited possibilities for travel, who are suffering exile and who are now on the other side of the border. At the same time, this has had a huge impact in social, education and health terms in that area, so Colombia -a country with which Argentina has excellent relations- understands that we can provide assistance," Faurie said.
The Argentine Foreign Minister also stated that "this is a time with various initiatives being launched in the region, especially by us members of the Group of Lima. We must continue our work to tackle the humanitarian, social, medical, health and food crisis in Venezuela, which spreads to all countries in the region.
In turn, the operations coordinator of White Helmets of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martín Torres, noted that "this initiative is of great importance to Colombia," and also highlighted that "medical doctors currently there, and those continuing to arrive in Cúcuta, treat pregnant mothers as well as children under the age of 17."
"Things are in a state of flux. The idea and the goal of the initiative is to cooperate with the system. Around 100 patients per day are being treated and referrals to hospitals are made accordingly. Flexibility in understanding the current situation at the border is key to the initiative. International organizations are sharing the area with us and providing assistance as well: mainly, the Red Cross and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). We are working in the field as partners," Torres said during the coordination meeting, before departure to Colombia.
In turn, the Argentine Ambassador to Colombia, Marcelo Stubrin, provided context with regard to the current situation in the city of Cúcuta: "We will help Colombia in this special situation resulting from the migration explosion at the border. All agencies of the United Nations are working there; solidarity and cooperation prevail. The initiative is very concrete, very efficient and has a great impact in terms of the services provided to those reaching the area who need them most. There was previously no such quantity and quality of health services available in the area."
The regional representative of UNHCR, Kylie Alcoba Wright, took part in the meeting together with executives of private healthcare providers who jointly participate in the initiative.
ABOUT THE MISSION OF WHITE HELMETS
The first team of volunteer medical doctors and specialists had travelled to Colombia on 23 June. Argentina's medical assistance is channelled through Medical Response Units (URSA), made up of Argentine teams of volunteer healthcare experts, who treat patients in a camp located in Cúcuta, Department of Norte de Santander, at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge Station, in order to help deal with the current humanitarian crisis at that border point.
The service includes general medical assistance; specialties such as pediatrics, gynaecology, cardiology, psychology and complementary services such as clinical analysis, diagnostic imaging, ultrasonography and medicine supply. The URSA treats pregnant and nursing women, as well as children under the age of 17, and will consider extending medical assistance for other conditions such as HIV, hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
The teams work with a gender perspective and with medical supplies donated by private sector partners of White Helmets. The URSA Team comprises, among others, B´Nai B´rith International; OSDE -the leading medical assistance network in Argentina; CEMIC (Centre of Medical Education and Clinical Research in Argentina); ALAMI -Latin American Association of Private Health Systems; and CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies).
Press Release No. 280/18
