BEIRUT, Aug 5 (KUNA) -- Lebanon received on Wednesday the first batch of aid from abroad which is a shipment of medical supplies provided by Kuwait and transported through a plane belonging to Kuwait Air Force.
In a statement to KUNA, the adviser to the Lebanese Minister of Health, Dr. Hussein Muhaidly, in the name of Lebanese Health Minister, offered thanks and gratitude to Kuwait government and people for this humanitarian gesture, clarifying that its not strange for Kuwait to always be the first in offering help and standing beside Lebanon.
Muhaidly stressed the strength of relations between Kuwaiti and Lebanese peoples, hoping that the coming days will bear all the good for the two brotherly countries.
For his part, Assistant command of Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Lt. Col. Abdulaziz Al-Loghani, said in a similar statement that Kuwaiti assistance includes medical beds, wheelchairs, respirators, medications, dressings and masks.
He expressed sorrow over the "tragic accident that afflicted sisterly Lebanon", offering his condolences to the Lebanese people.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed in a statement Kuwait's support for Lebanon in facing the effects of this painful incident, yesterday's deadly blast, exceeding its repercussions and standing alongside the Lebanese people in a manner that preserves their security and stability.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Health Minister Sheikh Dr. Basel Al-Sabah expressed condolences to his Lebanese counterpart Hamad Hassan on the deadly Beirut port blast over a phone call Tuesday.
During the call, Sheikh Basel stated that based on the directives of His Highness Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and based on Kuwait's solidarity with the brothers in Lebanon, Kuwait would provide urgent medical assistance to cope with effects of the huge explosion and overcome its repercussions.
The Kuwaiti minister called on his counterpart in Lebanon to provide Kuwait with a list of medicines and urgent medical needs.
The explosion, which occurred yesterday in one of the warehouses of the Beirut port and contained a shipment of ammonium nitrate estimated at 2,750 tons, killed 80 people. wounded 4,000, with a number of people reported as "missing." (end) ff.sam