The arrivals, through military carriers, of the supports provided by NATO and the international community in response to the emergency covid-19 continue without interruption
Yesterday afternoon General Enzo Vecciarelli, Chief of Defense Staff, went to the Military Airport of Pratica di Mare where he assisted, in the presence of the Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio and the Ambassador of Turkey in Italy, to the arrival of a large amount of sanitary material, such as masks, suits and antibacterial liquids, transported by a plane made available by the Turkish Ministry of Defense, which is part of the initiatives undertaken by other NATO member countries and the International Community.
"In this moment of difficulty, linked to a global health emergency that is changing the lives of people all over the world, a collective response characterized by feelings of profound solidarity that are manifesting is very necessary and, at this moment, highly appreciated with the transport of expert personnel, doctors, nurses and health materials necessary to achieve together a fundamental victory for the future of all of us ".
To date, the United States, Germany, France, China, Russia, Cuba, Poland and Albania have also supported Italy to jointly face an unprecedented health crisis.
Since the beginning of the emergency, Military Healthcare has provided support with 216 specialized soldiers, employing 104 Medical Officers and 112 Nursing Petty Officers, upon specific request and made available to civilian Health, as well as military health facilities and air transport in bio- containment of patients in Italy and from abroad, with also flights from region to region for the transport of personnel and medical material.
To date, 33 military flight missions, carried out with aircraft and helicopters of the Air Force and the Army and managed and coordinated by the Joint Forces Operational Command (COI), have allowed not only the return of our compatriots from abroad, but also the transport of civilian and military personnel, sometimes also in biocontent, and the transfer of medical material, such as equipment for respiratory assistance and Personal Protective Equipment, received from China, Japan, Russia, Germany, England and Turkey. Air and land transport activities will continue in the coming days in support of the Civil Protection throughout the national territory.
In addition, logistical support, material and personnel transport were provided for the construction of the field hospital in Cremona provided by Samaritan's Purse International Disaster Relief (USA), and the necessary logistical support for doctors and materials sent from Russia and Albania.
Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini has responded to government requests by making available almost 18.000 men and women of the Armed Forces to date, engaged in the implementation of measures to combat COVID19, in competition with the Department of Civil Protection and other Departments committed.
Also in these days, in Jesi in the Marche, a field hospital of the Navy is being set up in which, the military personnel in synergy with the health personnel identified by PROCIV, will guarantee 40 ordinary hospital stays.
The commitment of the staff in the most exposed areas was also joined by the important logistical effort which to date has seen the total use of approximately 1.650 vehicles, accommodation for a total of 2.291 rooms and about 5.840 beds, distributed in military structures throughout the national territory and in favor of citizens who must undergo the surveillance period.