Red Cross aids hospitals taking hostage victims in Russian tragedy

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 03 Sep 2004 - 20:00 PDT

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Today the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) staff assisted the hospital in Beslan and the paediatric facility in Vladikavkaz with medical supplies to treat the wounded who are currently being evacuated from the scene of the hostage-taking.

The deliveries were made in close cooperation with the Russian Red Cross team active on the scene.

At the time the fighting erupted at the school, ICRC delegates were at Beslan hospital and witnessed the arrival of a large number of wounded people.

The aid provided so far today by the ICRC to the hospitals in North Ossetia consisted of emergency surgical kits making it possible to treat up to 100 victims.

ICRC staff are currently in touch with other medical facilities in the area and stand ready to provide additional medical aid and other items to help those affected by the hostage-taking.

Since the beginning of the crisis on 1 September, the ICRC has been in regular touch with the Russian authorities and has stood by to furnish whatever humanitarian assistance was needed.

For further information, please contact:
Vincent Lusser, ICRC Moscow, tel. +7 095 926 54 26 or +7 095 79 631 22
Anastasia Isyuk, ICRC northern Caucasus, tel. +7 903 545 35 34
ICRC Press Office, tel. +41 22 730 23 09

http://www.icrc.org

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