Friday, December 1, 2017

Urgent Medical Evacuation in Syria by UN


The United Nations is in the midst of desperate efforts to evacuate 500 Syrians, including 167 children, in Eastern Ghouta (a rebel-held area) due to urgent medical needs. The death toll has risen to nine in recent weeks as these citizens wait for government authorization to evacuate to hospitals.

"Collapsed buildings are seen after the Assad regime carried out air strikes in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus in Syria on 17 November 2017" (Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171201-un-seeks-urgent-medical-evacuation-of-500-from-syrias-eastern-ghouta/)

Meanwhile, food shortages are contributing to malnutrition; which is heavily effecting children espcially. Rates regarding acute malnutrition among children has reached a shocking 12%. To put that number in perspective, this is about 6 times higher than what was reported in January and is 2% above the emergency threshold. Syria is also being bombarded with recent air and artillery attacks by government forces which has resulted in the death of dozens of civilians.

An injured nine-month-old girl receives medical attention at a field hospital in rebel-held Douma, Syria (26 November 2017)
One of the 167 children in need of medical attention in Eastern Ghouta (Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42186064)

The UN is pushing for world powers to get involved by helping with medical evacuations. So far, Russia, France, Iran, and the United States have come forward to assist at the weekly humanitarian meeting. The green light has still not been given for these evacuations, but efforts are being made to get the wounded and sick to safety. 





1 comment:

  1. Simply unfathomable...and moreso as many of us head into the celebrations of a holiday whose history shares much of Syrian history too.

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