The EUTF for Africa and UNDP deliver two ambulances to the municipality of Murzuq

Tripoli - On 21 December 2017, the municipality of Murzuq, located in the south of Libya, received two intensive care ambulances from UNDP through the project 'Strengthening Local Capacities for Resilience and Recovery' (EUR 18 million) funded under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

The Murzuq General Hospital, which currently provides health services to 65,000 people living in the city, will use these ambulances to transport patients from Murzuq and the neighbouring villages of Jezaw, Dalim, Haj Hajije and Gowat. Since August 2011, the medical center did not have any ambulance, after the old one stopped working. At the beginning of 2014, only an average of 25 patients per day needed ambulance transportation, but after October the same year, this number increased to 40 patients per day (over 14,600 people per year) since migrant people cross Murzuq on their way to Tripoli and accidents are recurrent.

During the handover ceremony that took place in Tripoli, the Mayor of Murzuq, Mr. Ibrahim Shawish stated: "We are tremendously grateful for this contribution of the European Union to our municipality. Thanks to the ambulances that UNDP transferred today, the city council that I preside will be able to improve our services delivery.”

Mr. Mohamed Omar Kokani, Member of Murzuq Municipal Council, will receive the ambulances in Murzuq. He declared that "Thanks to EU contribution and UNDP, now we will be able to help more people not only from Murzuq and nearby neighbourhoods, but also migrant and internal displaced people who are growing in number and need our assistance".

Murzuq is hosting more than 5,000 internal displaced persons (IDPs) from the municipalities of Al-Kufrah, Ubari and Sabha. The absence of medical transport services has already been affecting vulnerable people in southern Libya, but also in the east of the country. The municipality of Al-Kufrah, located at 1060 km from Benghazi, is facing similar challenges as Murzuq in the south, due to the lack of ambulances. The project is also planning to transfer two ambulances to Al-Kufrah's Atia Kaseh General Hospital.

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With the support of the EUTF for Africa, to respond to the many challenges people in Libya are facing, UNDP Libya is helping the local authorities to restore security, essential services and livelihoods opportunities. UNDP works in key communities on the migration routes – from Sabha and Murzuq, to Kufra, and Sabratha, not least Benghazi and Tripoli - engaging municipalities, enhancing stability and community security, advancing municipality socioeconomic development and providing income generation opportunities especially for young people. With adequate support, municipalities in Libya can better plan, lead and coordinate efforts at achieving progress where people need it the most.

This project is implemented in the framework of the programme "Managing mixed migration flows in Libya through expanding protection space and supporting local socioeconomic development" financed by the North of Africa Window of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

More information about 'Managing mixed migration flows in Libya through expanding protection space and supporting local socio-economic development': https://ec.europa.eu/trustfundforafrica/node/421

Source: http://www.ly.undp.org/content/libya/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2017/12/21/eu-funded-project-hands-over-two-ambulances-to-murzuq-municipality.html