The aid organisations I.S.A.R. Germany and BRH are sending a medical team to Armenia on Monday, 13 July 2020. The specialists will support doctors in the South Caucasian country in the fight against the coronavirus. Armenia is particularly affected by the consequences of the pandemic and had asked for international help. The German aid workers' mission is being supported by the World Health Organisation, the Robert Koch Institute, the German Federal Ministry of Health and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), among others.
The German Air Force is also supporting Armenia's request for administrative assistance. Colonel Daniel Draken, Commander of the Air Wing of the Federal Ministry of Defence: „The Air Wing is pleased to be able to make a modest contribution for humanitarian purposes.“ To transport the personnel and medical equipment, the European Air Transport Command will make an A310 MRTT of the Federal Ministry of Defence's Air Wing available at short notice on 13 July 2020. This is expected to take off at 10 a.m. local time from the military section of Cologne-Wahn Airport to the capital of Armenia, Yerevan.
The German team consists of 13 members, including doctors, respiratory specialists, intensive care nurses and experts in the production of disinfectants. The team's luggage includes 2,000 sets of protective equipment, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, an X-ray machine and medication.
The specialists from Germany will advise doctors in Armenia on the treatment of Covid-19 patients and pass on their previous experience. „The aim is to prevent patients from needing to be ventilated if possible and thus conserve valuable resources in the heavily burdened Armenian healthcare system,“ says I.S.A.R. President Dr Daniela Lesmeister. In addition, medical staff should be trained in the use of protective equipment in order to further improve prevention.