Kurdistan's JCC distributes aid to families with thalassemia patients

A JCC official said that the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) had provided the assistance packages.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – May 9, Friday, marks World Thalassemia Day. In support of individuals suffering from the heritable disease, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (KRG-JCC) distributed German-provided aid packages on low-income families with patients.

The move comes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which, along with strict measures to contain it, has taken a toll on household incomes across the world. JCC has upped relief efforts during the lockdown to limit the effects of the virus and the lockdown in the Kurdistan Region.

"JCC distributed humanitarian assistance to 100 families that have members with thalassemia on World Thalassemia Day," said Srwa Rasoul, director of Resource Mobilization at JCC, when speaking to Kurdistan 24 on Friday.

She noted that the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) had provided the assistance packages.

Rasoul said that the list of families that received aid was provided hospitals treating thalassemia, and are ones whose economic status was severely affected by the two months region-wide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

"Each family will receive two baskets of non-perishable food, a pack of sterilization and sanitization equipment, and a box of necessities for infants," added Rasoul. The items, she said would be distributed on families in Erbil city. JCC would deliver other assistance packages to families in the rest of the Kurdistan Region.

Srwa Rasoul, Director of Resource Mobilization at Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC). (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Srwa Rasoul, Director of Resource Mobilization at Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC). (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Rasoul said that "JCC plans to aid 100 families with hemophilia patients in Kurdistan Region's provinces, and displaced persons and refugee camps through its offices, and with the support of our partners." 

Rasoul also pointed out that since curfew measures were imposed in the Kurdistan Region, JCC has provided humanitarian assistance to "thousands of low-income families" with the support of partners.

The JCC is a crisis response center that KRG established to coordinate the Kurdistan Region's response to humanitarian crises between relevant government agencies. Its mandate is to manage ministries, institutions, and organizations so that they are able to work effectively when dealing with both natural and human-made disasters.  

Editing by Khrush Najari