The world has rallied round to try to help the earthquake-devastated countries of Türkiye and Syria – but sending help is not the only issue.  

In an exclusive interview, a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson told CGTN that rescue efforts are markedly different in the two countries. 

"We have two very different country set-ups," Christian Lindmeier told CGTN. "Türkiye is badly hit, but Türkiye as a country has a lot of capacity, so here all the health teams that WHO is coordinating are supporting the government in their efforts."

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By contrast, however, things are much more difficult in a Syria wracked by civil war. 

"In Syria, the needs are the same, but we have a population of about 15 million who have been fleeing the war already," he said. "We have a way less capable country to deal with this. We need all the same things, but we need access, we need to find out how many people are actually affected."

Lindmeier notes that much of the humanitarian aid for Syria came from areas now themselves destroyed. 

"All the help which northwestern Syria area has been getting the last years has been mainly coming out from Gaziantep, which is now heavily affected itself," he said. "You have millions of people depending on humanitarian aid [for] years, and they are now struck with a disaster on top of it. So it's an emergency inside an emergency and with a way less prepared country, with way less resources."

'It's a daily redo – we need much more'

However, Lindmeier refuted the idea that aid workers cannot get access to Syria. 

"We actually reached already 16 hospitals to supply, because we do have a country office in Damascus and they are also negotiating on a daily basis with the authorities for access. Until recently, apparently, there was only one border crossing towards Türkiye open, but now there seem to be three border crossings open again. 

"So all a lot of work of the UN agencies is to negotiate the free access of material, help and goods. It's a daily redo of all the efforts. It's not impossible, it is happening, but we need much more."

The WHO is helping to marshal resources arriving from countries worldwide, including China. 

"We have emergency medical teams arriving and that can help with the clinical side of it. We have other partners who do the search and rescue, and it's a horrible picture of  trauma wounds, of shock wounds – and, of course, many people still under the rubble. And it's a run against time right now."

Even those safely pulled from the rubble face enormous problems, says Lindmeier.

"Those who have survived are now out of their buildings – because of all the hundreds of aftershocks, they're out in the cold winter and snow. They need tents, they need help, they need warm clothes, they need water, first of all."