MedGlobal, Rep. Rashid Applaud Governor Pritzker and Illinois Emergency Management Agency for Supporting Earthquake Victims

BERWYN, IL – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D- Bridgeview, applauds Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) for releasing emergency medical supplies to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

In the aftermath of the recent earthquake that claimed more than 50,000 lives, Rep. Rashid worked with MedGlobal to request that the State of Illinois provide life-saving support and relief to victims. Governor Pritzker recently announced steps that Illinois is taking.

“I commend Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) for committing humanitarian medical supplies and aid to organizations who are working to provide life-saving medical care to earthquake victims,” said Rep. Rashid.

“We applaud the State of Illinois, IEMA, and Governor Pritzker for supporting the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in southern Türkiye and northern Syria. We just returned from the area with a team of 10 doctors, 4 of them from Illinois. We witnessed the catastrophe impact of the earthquake on patients, especially children,” said Dr. Zaher Sahloul, critical care specialist at Christ Advocate Medical Center and Saint Anthony hospital and president of MedGlobal.

“We appreciate the important effort by State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid to support the victims of the earthquake and his work with state agencies to make this gift happen,” said Dr. Sahloul.

MedGlobal’s surgeons performed surgeries, and their psychiatrists and critical care specialists conducted training on managing physical and psychological trauma. They also distributed donated medical supplies to multiple hospitals and mobile clinics. The needs in the disaster area will be high for the foreseeable future.

IEMA will be providing equipment like bedside monitors, wheelchairs, operating room equipment and ventilators for long-term treatment of the earthquake survivors, agency officials shared.

“This donation from our great state will help in recovery and rebuilding, and will save many lives,” said Dr. Sahloul.