Apostolic Nuncio to Syria Mario Zenari thanked Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a letter for the Hungarian government’s financial support with the Syrian humanitarian project Open Hospitals.

The Apostolic Nuncio informed the Prime Minister that, as part of the project, they provide care free of charge for 400 patients – regardless of religious or ethnic affiliation – weekly in three Catholic hospitals in Damascus and Aleppo. The papal ambassador stressed that in Syria a great many people live in extreme poverty who cannot at all afford health care services. He highlighted that financial aid provided for hospitals is essential as the operating expenses of the institutions have risen significantly.

It also underpins the necessity of the Open Hospitals project initiated by Pope Francis that according to data of the World Health Organization, in consequence of the civil war which has been ongoing in Syria for seven and a half years, 54 per cent of state hospitals and other health care institutions are not operational at all or are only partially operational, Mr Zenari added in his letter.

On 6 December Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said the Hungarian government continues to remain fully committed to supporting Christian communities living in danger. He highlighted that Hungary contributes two million dollars to the health care and medicine expenditures of three hospitals in Syria.

(MTI)