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The Emirates Red Crescent Authority issued a statement, the text of which follows: “Since its founding in 1983, the Emirates Red Crescent has contributed to providing relief support and working continuously and urgently in times of crises, providing urgent humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of millions of people around the world, including recently in the Gaza Strip.
During the past years, we have provided relief supplies and urgent support in the areas most in need, through various relief initiatives and programs and in accordance with the basic principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement..
Recently, the Red Crescent was exposed to a media allegation indicating that the UAE field hospital in Amdgrass was being used for activities other than humanitarian work.
It is unfortunate that the humanitarian and charitable efforts of the Emirates Red Crescent may be subject to such false or politicized allegations.
These irresponsible claims fail to provide any evidence of the slander directed at the Emirates Red Crescent – because there is absolutely no such evidence. These baseless and false allegations are unfortunate and put the safety of our humanitarian staff and facilities at risk, especially as we operate in areas of armed conflict. Such allegations also jeopardize our ability to provide vital assistance to those who need it most.
Amdgrass Hospital was established in July 2023, after the outbreak of the crisis in April 2023 and after a request to establish a field hospital in Sudan was rejected.
The hospital’s mission is to support the most vulnerable people, and it has so far treated about 8,808 Sudanese and 19,658 Chadians, in addition to performing 550 surgical operations.
Within the framework of operating Amdgrass Hospital, the Red Crescent’s sole focus is on providing basic medical care in these difficult circumstances to the most needy cases.
As with all medical personnel around the world, and as stipulated in international humanitarian law, the Red Crescent has a moral obligation to provide medical care to anyone and everyone who needs it, limited to medical needs only..
The Emirates Red Crescent Authority confirms its strong rejection of these allegations, stating that it rejected the requests of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to enter Amdgrass Hospital.
Our cooperation and relationship with the International Federation of Red Cross Societies has been well-established since we joined as a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in 1986.
Also, in addition to the full support and cooperation of the host countries, which play an important role in providing access to field hospitals, our work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as other regional and international humanitarian organizations, confirms our dedication to humanitarian efforts around the world. . We will work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to determine how access was intercepted, as allowing access to the hospital area falls within the jurisdiction of the local authorities in the host country..
The Emirates Red Crescent has established a second field hospital in Abéché, which has treated 21,761 patients so far. These UAE field hospitals are a critical lifeline for civilians in need, providing treatment to Sudanese refugees fleeing the conflict as well as to citizens of Chad. Our services extend to all civilians in need, regardless of nationality, age, gender or political affiliation.
The Emirates Red Crescent’s historic commitment to establishing field hospitals in crisis areas confirms our constant endeavor to provide humanitarian assistance. We are committed to providing medical support in areas affected by the conflict, and our commitment to supporting affected communities remains steadfast. The Emirates Red Crescent, in cooperation with its international partners, will continue to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it most.”
