Imtiaz Sooliman – Gift of the Givers unable to access flood victims in Lia
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the logistics and supply situation in logistics and supply, including the need for emergency services, specialized personnel and equipment, and regular flight routes. They express sadness at the loss of their team and the partnership with the national government. The speakers also discuss the need for body bags and body bags to prevent body-related pain, provide support and help people on the ground, and ensure privacy for their team. They express sadness at the loss of privacy and the risk of future disaster.
AI: Summary ©
Well, as the world mobilizes to assist emergency services deal
with the aftermath of that catastrophic flood, aid is now
pouring in for the North African country. In fact, gift of the
givers is also lending a hand, and founder, Imtiaz Suleiman joins us
this morning to give us an update on the situation. Dr Suleman, it's
good to talk to you. Thanks very much indeed for coming on. Give us
a sense of how gift to the givers is stepping in.
Good morning, Michelle, the actual assistance they required from us
initially, I mean, from the Libyan presidency, the ministers, the
disaster center, the ambassador in South Africa, the Libyan doctors
in South Africa, students on the ground in different areas in Derna
Tripoli, the urgent request was for rescue, specialized rescue
personnel, both search and rescue, because though this is a flood,
it's very in effect like a Southern tsunami, because it
brought brought the buildings down like an earthquake, and that water
struck all over and flooding everywhere. So they needed search
and rescue teams and specialized equipment. They needed aquatic
teams. They needed medical teams. They needed boats. We've got a
life located to see where people are live. We will got dog handlers
and canines. Saps is our partner. So they required all that kind of
stuff as a priority. We will, we have teams. That is 70 people
ready to go, and there's no way we can get into Libya. You know,
there's very few
airlines that fly into the country and where we need to go is quite
far from where the planes fly to group was the closest border,
about a town, 180 kilometers from Ghana. And the best option, the
safest option, because of the different armed groups in the
country, two governments hostage taking. The safest bet was to
charter plane. We tried but nine different companies, nobody was
prepared to fly to Libya, and eventually one company came at a
cost of 16 million ran off. So that just didn't work. The
alternative was to provide them supplies which they need, and
that's what we busy what right now we visit procuring medicines
inside Dubai, but the companies that we worked for in the past,
and we visit providing supplies in South Africa. The European
government has then said it will send a plane to fetch the supplies
from us in South Africa, and we send more than one plane for us to
support them. So as it stands now, Dr Suleman, given everything that
you've just outlined, you have not been able to get those specialist
teams into the country just yet.
No, we can't get them in because nobody prepared to fly there. The
Libyan government then offered to send a plane to fetch us. But we
don't operate that way. The security of my teams come first.
More important than getting in is, how do you get out? Especially if
there's armed conflict in the country, and if we don't control
like the aircraft going and coming out. I would never accept an
option when aircraft control is in a third party. Unfortunately, I
could accept that I couldn't put my teams at risk. So, so what's
the plan? Dr solimani, you say that you you are assisting in so
far as medicines and supply is concerned. Are you still doing
what you can to try and arrange yourself to get your teams into
the country. Is that still an option? No, that's not an option,
because they are. There's no aircraft companies going to start
in the next two days to start flying regular flights to Libya.
The importance is to have regular flights. The flights are not
regular, and they're not daily. If you have a crisis, you can't get
out in an emergency. If you have your own plane, you can park into
the country, next next door, and you can come within minutes to
fetch you. So that option is out, both in terms of availability and
in terms of cost, in terms of supplies. Yes, we can send
supplies, because it's a huge deal. They're telling us, look,
not much aid is coming to our country. We are desperate for for
aid. They wouldn't send a plane if they were not that desperate, you
know? And they said, real people to send more planes, because we
really need the support. And what they need now, critically, is body
bags. They said, We need 1000s of body bags, because the figures
you're seeing, it's far more worse than what you actually seeing and
you're wearing, you know, we're on site, and that information is
coming from doctors, from students, from people on the
ground, all said, it's just horrific. Tamara bodies all over
the show. And the second thing they ask you now for is formula.
Preserve the bodies, especially since they decomposing so pre
burial, they need formula. They lead large quantities upon a
formula. Then of course, they need antibiotics and energetics of
pain, our whole range of education items, items for theater, theater,
medication, anesthetics, all those kind of items which we are
procuring. And then they said, because they can't drink the water
they want, like rehydration solutions, which, which, you don't
need some water, but it must be ready to drink immediately because
the water is unsafe. And then, by the same token, they want food
that's ready to eat. All those items we have, you know, which we
can send to them.
Sure, a devastating situation. And as you say, Dr Suleman, you've got
your teams, not your teams, but you've got contact in Libya
describing that situation to you there. What I can say, Dr Suleman,
is that it's really a major loss for that country that gives.
To the givers is not able to be there, given the incredible work
done by the organization,
my teams feel very sad, Michelle, you know what? Because we
specialize in this life savings, our speciality bringing closure to
people is what we do best, and it's such a fantastic partnership
with South Bank. EMS, lepou Ems, both have embassies around from
both provinces, police, sapogas, the national government, Detroit,
state security, everybody's has been informed and as such. And of
course, canine, from the sapsa dog analyst, everybody wants to work
together. It's great experience for South Africa. It's great for
an African country, not another African country. But the risk
because of the absence of a plight is to higher the cost if
government puts up a plane and we turn our control and say, Look,
we're taking you, our government is taking us across, wait and to
come back, bring you back, that's a different option, but it's a
very costly business. Just a plane alone, 16 million from the airline
company. What about all the goods you still got to put inside? Yeah,
yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'm surprised as well. Dr Suleman,
just given the volatility that we know exists in Libya, that we even
have people who are willing to get on a plane, if indeed you were
able to do that, and to go to the country, to do the incredible work
that you do.
Well, we have been to a higher situations before, but always, as
I said, the exit plan is more important. Exit Strategy is more
important than the entry. We always have that in place before
we go, we just need to remind the viewers that her co founder, the
South African from swelling down, was taken hostage in Libya, you
know, and it's still a hostage. It's going to be in November, is
going to be six years in captivity.
Yeah, the risk is incredible. The risk is undeniable.
Yes, so you know, and as a responsible team leader, you can't
put 70 people's life settlers. They've got families, they're
working, they've got income. They've got to look after the
virus, the children. I can't take a dislike. My rule is very clear.
My team comes first, you know, not not victims of a disaster. It's a
standard rule, which I'm not ashamed to say, my team members
come first, because I need them in other disasters too. Dr MTS.
Sullivan, it's always a great pleasure and honor talking to you
sir. Thanks very much indeed for coming on give to the givers,
despite challenges, still doing what they can to assist the
situation following the Libyan floods. Dr Silvan, thanks very
much indeed. You.