Today, the 8th edition of the Brussels Conference assembles in “Supporting the Future of Syria and The Region”.
After over a decade of conflict, there are still more than 14 million people in need of healthcare, protection, and humanitarian assistance. There are 3,97 million people in need of health assistance in NWS in particular. According to the World Food Programme, 12,9 million people in Syria are food insecure.
Severe Funding Shortages
The situation in Syria is already dire, and the latest reports and assessments on the Humanitarian Needs Overview and Humanitarian Response Plan of United Nations OCHA show that there is only 6% of coverage ($326M of $4,07B) of the needed funds. This makes the situation even worse and eventually causes inevitable consequences.
Health Facility Closures
Idlib and Northern Aleppo governorates indicate that most of the health facilities either closed or suspended activities due to lack of funds. In this scenario, more than 100 health facilities are expected to be closed by the end of June.
Critical Gaps in Healthcare Services
According to the Türkiye Cross-Border Health Cluster report which will be finalised by the Independent Doctors Association IDA, the gap in maternity and pediatric services in the Jarablus district might exacerbate the lack at the Hope Hospital in providing services for addressing malnutrition and ensuring mother-baby protection. Also, Bab Al Salamah Hospital where IDA runs oncological surgeries and early-diagnosis stages of cancer could face grave difficulties due to lack of funds. If we consider that there are more than 4,300 active cancer patients in NWS, cancer is unfortunately the most common non-communicable disease within the region, increasing its percentage mostly among women and girls.
Today, we call every stakeholder to action. If we can’t get enough funds for people in need, they will not be able to seek healthcare, protection, and nutrition services. As summer approaches, the situation of water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure might cause severe water-borne diseases, hygiene-caused issues, and hardship of access to clean water sources.
We shouldn’t let Syria be forgotten and discarded. We should act together and act now.
Let’s keep Syria’s future at the top of the agenda.
Independent Doctors Association (IDA), May 27-2024
