Despite ongoing concerns about security, UNICEF has started a massive ground and air lift of supplies to southern Kyrgyzstan.
A convoy carrying forty tonnes of supplies has arrived in the city of Jalalabad. It will drop some of its cargo there and then continue onto Osh where it is expected to arrive by early tomorrow morning.
The supplies consist of eight obstetric kits, emergency health medicine for treating of 10,000 children with diarrheal diseases, as well as vitamins and micronutrients for children. “School in box” kits and other water and sanitation gear including 20 thousand water containers are also in the convoy.
The mobile obstetric kits include all necessary medicine, materials and surgical instruments for 800 deliveries. The kits allow medical workers to carry out normal deliveries as well as undertake surgery on spot in cases of difficult births.
UNICEF Head of Office in Kyrgyzstan Jonathan Veitch said it was now essential to reach all affected communities and ethnic groups. “Further supplies will be airlifted into Osh by mid-week, and we will be aiming to establish an office in Osh as soon as practically possible.”