“These shipments are timely and essential to help health care facilities in Dar’a governorate cope with the greatly increased demand for health care services, reaching all people in need no matter where they are located” said Dr Michel Thieren, Regional Emergencies Director. “WHO remains committed to working with partners to provide emergency health care in the areas of greatest need.”
These are the first in a series of shipments that WHO plans to deploy to southern Syria, where health needs are acute and growing. Recent data from WHO’s Health Resources Availability Mapping System (HeRAMS) show that 40% of public health care centres in Dar’a and Quneitra governorates are closed and only one hospital remains open. WHO is supporting the deployment of three mobile clinics that are providing health care services for people displaced by the fighting, and is working to deploy another four in the coming days.
“As the situation in Southern Syria evolves, humanitarian convoys bearing essential supplies must be allowed to proceed across conflict lines, and the government and all parties to the conflict must allow critically ill and wounded civilians to be immediately evacuated for life-saving treatment”, added Dr. Thieren.
