Syria

Coalition member Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) is deeply alarmed by reports of systematic targeting of hospitals and medical infrastructure in Dara’a, Syria.

The humanitarian crisis in eastern Aleppo is tragic but not unimaginable or surprising—it is the result of years of inaction by the international community, writes Physicians for Human Rights researcher Elise Baker.

The last week has seen the surge of violence in Syria’s city of Aleppo, in which every hospital in the rebel-held east Aleppo has been damaged to the extent of putting them out of service (a statement confirmed by the World Health Organization), leaving more than 250,000 men, women, and children living in east Aleppo without access to health care. In light of this, the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) reaffirms its firm stance against violations of International Humanitarian Law and attacks on health care workers, facilities, and systems.

Insufficient numbers of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers struggle to save and treat the wounded. Only 30 doctors are left. A look at the destruction of the Syrian city.

Despite aid convoys having reached 18 besieged and 164 hard-to-reach areas with 220 tons of medical and health supplies from January to August in Syria, it has not been enough and the health situation of the country continues to spiral downwards: children are not getting vaccines, pregnant women are not receiving proper care, the injured need more treatment, and 1 in 4 children are at risk of developing a mental disorder.