Life-saving health services at imminent risk in northwest Syria if UN cross-border aid ends, the IRC warns

• More than 1 million people who rely on the cross-border of Bab Al-Hawa to help people are at risk of losing life-saving medical care without the approval of the UN Security Council.
• 98% of women and approximately 90% of men surveyed by the IRC also reported that they had difficulty accessing treatment as a major barrier when trying to access treatment.
• A UN-led cross-border intervention should be approved for 12 months to prevent the number of preventable deaths.

New York, NY, July 6, 2022 – On July 10, the UN-led cross-border route in northwestern Syria is expected to end once the UN Security Council ratifies the resolution this week. Failure to repair the machine will seriously affect the millions of Syrians who currently rely on border crossing to provide essential medical care, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned.

In 2021, 1.3 million people received life-saving assistance through the Bab-Al Hawaiian cross, the last remaining cross-border route at risk of closure. About 60% of all outpatient interviews nationwide rely on cross-border support. In the northwest of the country, a region that relies heavily on border crossing, more than 3.1 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance.[1].

Recent IRC data collected recently from areas in northwestern Syria between March and April show how dependent people in the region are helping to access medical care. 98% of women surveyed, and nearly 90% of men, said they struggled to get treatment as a major barrier when trying to access medical care. This represents an increase of 50% and 30% respectively since the same period last year.

With 63 hospitals, 170 hospitals, 42 private hospitals and 45 mobile clinics providing health care in northwestern Syria, the UN border crossing is the only way to earn a living – if not approved, humanitarian NGOs like the IRC will not be able to fill the gaps in ‘shares and medical services.

One IRC customer, a 42-year-old Syrian in northwestern Syria, told us:

“The news about the demise of social services worries me. My anxiety is mounting and I am starting to test myself on the road without receiving my medication. My family would start begging us to be able to buy them on their own. I hope they do [the UN Security Council] will continue to allow the flow of humanitarian aid to Syria and that it will not end. We hope he will continue to support us and save us from any disaster. ”

David Miliband, IRC President and CEO said:

“IRC teams and health partners are working hard in northern Syria to ensure that the necessary medical care and access to those who need it most. They do not have enough hospitals, essential medical equipment, or staff.When cross-border opportunities were eliminated in northeastern Syria in January 2020, the problems of daily life of the people soon became apparent.

For Syrians living in the northwest of the country, the inability to re-cross the border could represent a major health crisis since the health crisis began. That is why the IRC is undoubtedly our call to the UN Security Council to put the issue at the top of politics. The UN border crossing should be approved for 12 months so that more lives are not lost unnecessarily.

END

Notes to editors

• We have local speakers to do the interviews.
• A new IRC study among people in northwestern Syria conducted between March and April this year showed a significant increase in the number of people reporting complications when accessing medical care compared to the same period last year. Nearly all of the women surveyed reported no treatment, an increase of 50% from last year, while for men, the number increased by 30% while 90% of men reported no treatment as a barrier to accessing treatment.
• Other consequences of the redevelopment will include a major disruption of life-saving activities. These include treatment for serious illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, psychiatric and psychiatric treatment, treatment of malnutrition in children, and sexual and reproductive health care for women and girls.
• The IRC and its partners in northwestern Syria reached more than 474,000 patients in 2021 through 20 hospitals: 2 hospitals – including only one COVID hospital, 4 mobile hospitals, 13 primary hospitals and one insane asylum. In addition, we have 10 ambulances, 6 of which are assigned to the COVID-19 response, taking those who are considered to go to the testing center and evacuate for treatment. In addition to our ambulances, our response to the epidemic includes the diagnosis, prevention and control of all IRC-assisted hospitals; educating staff on how to protect themselves and their patients from the virus; and continue to raise awareness of the epidemic in the communities in which we and our colleagues work. The IRC also provides special care to at-risk women and girls, pregnant women and the elderly; provides psychological support to help children and their families cope with stress; and assisting thousands of Syrians in raising funds through emergency finance, business support and education.

[1] https: //www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.inf …