Turkey opens new health center in Syria’s Afrin

AFRIN – Anadolu Agency

Turkish Health Ministry opened a new health center in northwestern Syrian city of Afrin, which was purged of YPG militants in Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch.

The health center -- established in the town of Raju -- is facilitated with internal medicine, dentistry, women’s and pediatric outpatient clinics, as well as a blood test laboratory and a pharmacy.

Turkish institutions have established medical clinics in several areas in rural Afrin to provide free medical services for local people as the hospitals in the region do not operate.

“It’s hard to reach Afrin city center when you are sick. With this new health center, it is easy for locals to get treatment in their own town. We thank

Turkish authorities especially the Health Ministry,” said Saad Ahmed, the director of the center.

Turkey’s Health Ministry also set up a mobile hospital and two mobile health service vehicles in Afrin.

A health center in the rural of Jinderes town treats up to 70 patients a day.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG and ISIL militants from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army members took the town on the 58th day of the operation.