MERCY Malaysia Evacuates Gaza Strip in lieu of uncertainties in the Gaza Strip

KUALA LUMPUR, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009 - For fear of renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip, MERCY Malaysia’s team of doctors who have been stationed in the conflict area since January 27 have been evacuated.

As at 8pm Malaysian time, the team of 6 had safely crossed the Rafah border into Egypt. The call to evacuate the team came at the behest of the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo.

“When the situation abates, we will go back into Gaza to continue our work. But in the course of our work, we do not wish to put our volunteers and staff in any harm’s way,” MERCY Malaysia Executive Council Member Norazam Abu Samah.

The 6 were tasked to look into the possibilities of implementing sustainable programmes in primary health, reproductive health as well as psychological intervention and mental health support programmes.

The team will standby in Egypt where they will await further instructions from MERCY Malaysia’s Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

“Due to the uncertainties in the Strip, MERCY Malaysia is limiting the number of volunteers for the moment. However, due to the specific pressing needs, I will be heading to Egypt,” Norazam said.

“I will be working with another MERCY Malaysia Volunteer, Razi Pahlavi Abdul Aziz, to strategise and plan the organisation’s next move,” he said, adding MERCY Malaysia was in continuous discussions with its trusted Palestinian partners on recovery work in the Strip.

“We are monitoring the situation very, very closely and should be able to come up with a concrete plan of action soon,” Norazam added.

Norazam was the part of the first three-person team consisting himself and MERCY Malaysia President Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood. They landed in Cairo on Dec 30 to lay the logistics pipeline to deliver medicines and medical equipment into the embattled zone.

The 22-day Gaza conflict began on Dec 27 and has killed over 1,300 and injured about 5,000. To date, MERCY Malaysia has sent in medical supplies and medicines worth USD 400,000 including sedative agents, antibiotics, intravenous solutions, pain killers, as well as a variety of surgical and medical equipment.