Timely Access To Health-care Services A Matter Of Life Or Death In Syria

Tehran, March 5, IRNA - Dozens of people are dying every day because of limited access to proper healthcare services and shortages of essential medical supplies. The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are doing their utmost to help save lives by donating much needed supplies throughout the country. ˈMany lives could be saved and serious disabilities prevented if only the wounded had timely access to properly equipped healthcare facilities,ˈ said Dr Andrea Reis, who coordinates the ICRC’s health activities in Syria. ˈDozens of facilities across the country are contending with shortages of equipment, supplies and staff.ˈ The ongoing fighting has damaged much of the country’s infrastructure, including hospitals and other healthcare facilities, a news release issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross added. The hospitals that are still standing are struggling to function. Furthermore, people involved in the fighting are not showing enough respect for health care providers and facilities. As just one example, since the beginning of the conflict numerous paramedics, including volunteers from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, have lost their lives while trying to save the lives of others. According to Dr Reis, ˈhealthcare in the country continues to hinge mainly on healthcare personnel obtaining safe access to the sick and the wounded.ˈ The lives of injured individuals often depend on how quickly paramedics or first-aid personnel can evacuate and treat them. ˈIn heavily affected areas such as Aleppo and Deir Ezzor, reaching some hospitals is also a challenge. We have been able to channel some medical assistance to these areas through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, but much more needs to be done,ˈ said the ICRC health coordinator. Since the onset of the crisis in Syria, with the help of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the ICRC has delivered enough surgical and other medical supplies to treat thousands of wounded patients across the country, including in opposition-controlled areas. Furthermore, the ICRC has recently donated supplies directly to a number of hospitals and other healthcare facilities in Homs, Damascus and Rural Damascus in addition to supplies donated on a number of occasions to the Ministry of Health. Anaesthetic drugs, wound-dressing materials and intravenous fluids are among the items often requested and donated. ˈThe needs are huge, however,ˈ pointed out Dr Reis. To meet medical needs efficiently, the ICRC carries out assessments in hospitals and other healthcare facilities whenever possible, either directly or together with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. ˈA large number of facilities in Syria are dealing with wounded patients on a daily basis,ˈ said Dr Reis. ˈThey need a continuous flow of medical supplies to keep functioning and attending to needs. Left untreated, even a slight injury can become very serious or even fatal.ˈ The ICRC remains gravely concerned about the lack of protection for medical services in Syria. Under international humanitarian law, the parties to the conflict must respect and protect healthcare personnel, transports such as ambulances, and hospitals and other medical units in all circumstances. They must not be the object of attack and their work must not be unnecessarily impeded. The parties must facilitate their safe passage and take all possible measures to ensure that the sick and the wounded receive the medical care they require without delay./end