Lives are in danger, and “the price of inaction is just too excessive”, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean, mentioned in a statement on Saturday after concluding a five-day go to to Syria.
She expressed grave concern over the complexities and challenges dealing with the inhabitants and humanitarian operations on the bottom.
“The variety of individuals in want is staggering, and pockets of important vulnerabilities persist in lots of components of the nation,” she mentioned.
“Compounding this already catastrophic state of affairs, growing political tensions within the area danger additional escalation in Syria.”
Tackle a number of challenges
The well being sector in Syria is affected by a scarcity of sources, but in addition a socioeconomic state of affairs that’s quickly worsening on account of ongoing insecurity, local weather change, environmental dangers, displacement, poverty, and ample entry to meals.
In her discussions with officers, Dr. Balkhy emphasised the significance of stepping up multi-sector coordination to handle these challenges.
She mentioned persistent illnesses account for nearly 75 per cent of all deaths throughout the nation. Rising malnutrition charges amongst kids below 5 and moms, on account of poverty, are additionally extraordinarily alarming.
Youngster malnutrition tripled
Charges of worldwide acute malnutrition in under-fives have tripled over the previous 4 years, she mentioned. On the similar time, the variety of stunted kids in 5 out of 14 governorates has elevated, with some areas experiencing catastrophic ranges.
Syria additionally stays one of many largest displacement crises on the earth. Greater than 7.2 million individuals are internally displaced.
She pointed to the state of affairs in Aleppo within the north, the place life is extraordinarily troublesome as a result of extended battle and the lethal earthquake that struck the area and neighbouring Türkiye in February 2023.
“Lack of electrical energy has led to progressive but unsafe approaches to heating and cooking, growing the danger of fires and family burns, significantly for kids,” she mentioned.
© UNICEF/Aaraf Watad
A household discovered refuge at a college in Atarib, west of Aleppo, Syria, following the devastating earthquake that hit the area (file).
Well being system ‘extraordinarily fragile’
She famous that throughout Syria, overcrowded residing situations and restricted entry to scrub water and correct sanitation, outbreaks of cholera, extreme acute respiratory infections, measles, lice, and scabies have been recurrently reported over the previous two years.
“Towards this grim backdrop, Syria’s well being system stays extraordinarily fragile,” she mentioned. Right now, simply over 60 per cent of each hospitals and first healthcare centres are absolutely operational, and there are extreme shortages of important medicines and medical gear.
“Most regarding is the truth that nearly half of the well being workforce, which kinds the spine of any well being system, has left the nation,” she added.
Entry to Al-Hol camp
Moreover, regardless of work executed by WHO and companions to revive and rehabilitate well being providers, entry to healthcare stays restricted.
She was extraordinarily involved in regards to the state of affairs on the infamous Al-Hol refugee camp, situated within the northwest, the place households of former ISIL fighters have been detained for years.
WHO is likely one of the most important well being suppliers at Al-Hol, the place each the wants and public well being dangers are immense. Since 9 Could, the camp administration has revoked WHO’s entry after funding shortfalls compelled the UN company to halt medical referrals.
“Our unrestricted entry to the individuals within the camp should be restored in alignment with humanitarian ideas to make sure we fulfill our public well being mandate,” she mentioned.
Funding shortfall, strengthened dedication
Dr. Balkhy reported that all through her time in Syria, “the decline in humanitarian funding for Syria was a central and troubling concern.” Talks with donors within the capital, Damascus, revealed that though they’re conscious of the size of gaps and desires, they’re constrained by competing regional and world priorities.
She underlined WHO’s dedication to assist the Syrian individuals, who stay resilient regardless of greater than a decade of conflict and compounding crises.
She vowed to advocate for better worldwide assist, and to strengthen WHO’s technical experience to deal with these advanced challenges, as a result of “too many lives are at stake, and the price of inaction is just too excessive.”
