On 6 February 2023, a series of massive earthquakes struck south-eastern Türkiye near the border with the Syrian Arab Republic. These and hundreds of aftershocks caused significant destruction on each side of the border, claiming thousands of lives across both countries and damaging or destroying essential infrastructure, including health facilities.

These have been some of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century, prompting a global humanitarian response – including from WHO and other United Nations partners – at the request of the Turkish Government.

Türkiye is a WHO European Region Member State, and WHO/Europe and the WHO Country Office in Türkiye are supporting the response in partnership with WHO headquarters, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the WHO Country Office in Syria.

WHO/Europe is working with the Turkish Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to identify and respond to critical health needs, both in the immediate aftermath of the disaster as well as in the longer-term recovery phase. WHO is committed to supporting the Government and people of Türkiye both now and in the future.