The International Islamic Relief Organization – Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) has thus far carried out 1,054 relief campaigns in 149 countries benefiting about 43 million people, Dr. Adnan Khalil Basha, Secretary General of the organization, told Saudi Gazette, Sunday. Highlighting the organization's accomplishments, Dr. Basha said during the past few years only, IIROSA implemented relief campaigns in about 28 countries for the welfare of more than a million victims. The IIROSA was founded in 1986. “Urgent relief assistance is usually extended to refugees and victims displaced from their original habitats by natural calamities or man-made sectarian or racial clashes,” he said, adding that IIROSA's relief assistance reaches such people as quickly as possible. The official pointed out that urgent assistance extended by the organization to refugees and displaced people includes: tents, food items consisting of sugar tea, milk, edible oil, chicken, meat, and cheese, and health care to protect refugees from diseases, such as bilharziasis, dysentery, cholera, malaria and typhoid. “We often set up mobile dispensaries and clinics in the areas of refugees. We also provide them with education because displaced students must have alternative schools at all levels of education. We are keen to provide them with psychological rehabilitation and vocational training,” Dr. Basha said. He recalled that IIROSA started its welfare and humanitarian activities inside the Kingdom in the late 1990s and has since then spent about SR170 million on relief and humanitarian work consisting of cash, relief materials, tents, food items, blankets, clothes, electric appliances, medicine and others. Dr. Basha praised the role played by the organization during last year's flood crisis in Jeddah and said the organization was quick in providing relief to victims in various residential areas specially those to the east of the Haramain Expressway and Kilo 14. “Aided by long experience in relief operations, we moved fast providing lodging, food baskets, clothes and other relief materials to the flood victims. We established four mobile clinics – two for men and two for women – which provided medical care to the victims,” he recalled. Dr. Basha said during the crisis, IIROSA ensured the school requirements of 5,000 male and female students in Jeddah and rehabilitated 500 devastated homes. “The concept of urgent relief is directly linked to refugees and the displaced. Even those who opt to stay in their areas after natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods and cyclones are entitled to rescue and relief operations. The victims of civil wars and racial and sectarian conflicts are also entitled to urgent relief assistance,” he said.
