[Translate to English:] Wintershall und RWE unterstützen Behandlung schwerverletzter Kriegsopfer aus Libyen
CEO Rainer Seele during his visit in Libya with Libyan employees.
(Tripoli, 30.11.2011) Wintershall and RWE, as part of the emergency relief efforts for Libya, are supporting the urgently required medical treatment of severely injured casualties. This joint initiative by the two companies will enable the treatment of 50 patients who are unable to be properly treated in their homeland. They will be flown to Germany to undergo operations and rehabilitation. The first five patients have been arrived in Germany now. “Time is of the essence and immediate, pragmatic action is called for. Doctors in Libya are making a superhuman effort. But they lack the necessary technical equipment”, explains Dr. Rainer Seele, CEO of Wintershall. “It is up to us to step in and act quickly and unbureaucratically.” “As a large company, we have a responsibility to help people in urgent humanitarian situations”, says the CEO of RWE, Dr. Juergen Grossmann. “Standing shoulder to shoulder with the medical organisation interplast has allowed us to initiate immediate and effective relief work.” Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is also honorary chairman of the German Near and Middle East Association, initiated the aid campaign after talks with the Libyan ambassador Aly Masednah Idris El-Kothany.
The charitable organisation of medical practitioners, interplast e.V. (Eschweiler section) has agreed to take responsibility for selecting, transporting and treating the severely injured casualties. Humanitarian criteria will be used to determine the selection of Libyan patients. Interplast will be working closely with almeda GmbH on this initiative. The Libyan transitional administration has issued a plan for the treatment of people injured in the Libyan revolution and has also commissioned almeda to organise the transportation of injured casualties to Germany and coordinate their medical care in Germany. The injured Libyans will be treated at St. Antonius Hospital in Eschweiler. The Eschweiler doctors have many years of experience treating war casualties and have already worked with interplast on several previous occasions. In addition, two Libyan doctors are employed by St. Antonius Hospital and will be on hand to help interpret for their fellow countrymen.
“Wintershall has been active in Libya for more than 50 years and has very close ties to the country”, emphasises Seele. “In supporting these patients now at the end of the hostilities, we are able to show our commitment and make a practical contribution in a way that comes very naturally to us.” The German government has already flown some Libyan casualties to Germany for treatment, following a visit to Tripoli by the German Minster of Economics, Philipp Roesler. “But given the high number of people severely injured in the uprisings, that was only the first step”, adds Grossmann. “It is important not to let up now in our efforts to help the Libyans, so that as many people as possible can be properly treated.”
Over the past few months, Wintershall has already assisted the Red Crescent, the Red Cross and the world’s largest independent children’s aid organisation, “Save the Children” by sending some relief shipments. Besides financial support, Wintershall has already donated containers of more than four tons of medication such as antibiotics and painkillers, surgical instruments for operations and sterile dressings and equipment. This is sufficient to provide medical care for more than 20,000 people over a three-month period. These supplies were arranged in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation for use in catastrophes and emergencies.
The charitable organisation of medical practitioners, interplast e.V. (Eschweiler section) has agreed to take responsibility for selecting, transporting and treating the severely injured casualties. Humanitarian criteria will be used to determine the selection of Libyan patients. Interplast will be working closely with almeda GmbH on this initiative. The Libyan transitional administration has issued a plan for the treatment of people injured in the Libyan revolution and has also commissioned almeda to organise the transportation of injured casualties to Germany and coordinate their medical care in Germany. The injured Libyans will be treated at St. Antonius Hospital in Eschweiler. The Eschweiler doctors have many years of experience treating war casualties and have already worked with interplast on several previous occasions. In addition, two Libyan doctors are employed by St. Antonius Hospital and will be on hand to help interpret for their fellow countrymen.
“Wintershall has been active in Libya for more than 50 years and has very close ties to the country”, emphasises Seele. “In supporting these patients now at the end of the hostilities, we are able to show our commitment and make a practical contribution in a way that comes very naturally to us.” The German government has already flown some Libyan casualties to Germany for treatment, following a visit to Tripoli by the German Minster of Economics, Philipp Roesler. “But given the high number of people severely injured in the uprisings, that was only the first step”, adds Grossmann. “It is important not to let up now in our efforts to help the Libyans, so that as many people as possible can be properly treated.”
Over the past few months, Wintershall has already assisted the Red Crescent, the Red Cross and the world’s largest independent children’s aid organisation, “Save the Children” by sending some relief shipments. Besides financial support, Wintershall has already donated containers of more than four tons of medication such as antibiotics and painkillers, surgical instruments for operations and sterile dressings and equipment. This is sufficient to provide medical care for more than 20,000 people over a three-month period. These supplies were arranged in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation for use in catastrophes and emergencies.
