Syrian hostilities intensify
Fighting in northwest Syria has intensified since the beginning of the year, giving rise to a massive movement of people within the country. As of 11 February, a total of 689 000 people had been displaced.
The fighting has also led to the closure of more than 70 health facilities, leaving the population with limited access to health care. So far in 2020, three separate attacks on health care services have been verified, all in the northwest, causing 10 deaths.
“To fill the gap created by closed health facilities, we are revising our referral network, trying to sustain stocks of medicines for those with non-communicable diseases and supporting the relocation of some of the health facilities,” said Rick Brennan, WHO’s regional emergency director.
WHO is also increasing the number of mobile clinics that can follow the movements of the displaced.
A fragile immunization network put in place by WHO and partners has also been disrupted, increasing the population’s exposure to infectious diseases.
A 2-month supply of essential medicine has been prepositioned on either side of Syria’s border with Turkey, but there is concern that demand will be far greater than supply.
“What is striking about this escalation is that the enormous humanitarian needs are being largely ignored by the international media and governments,” Brennan said. He called for a renewed international commitment to ending the crisis.
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