Syrian American Medical Society

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 Syrian government has besieged Madaya, a small town controlled by opposition forces an hour’s drive from Damascus, trapping residents inside without access to supplies, food, or services outside the town since July 2015, in violation of international humanitarian law. With inadequate food stores and medical care, 40,000 residents have suffered from starvation and malnutrition, and succumbed to disease, traumatic injury, and other life-threatening conditions.

Of all the suffering in Syria as a result of the crisis, those living under siege experience the worst of it. Ending the sieges remains a crucial aspect of resolving the humanitarian and healthcare crisis in Syria, as those in besieged areas have little access to the care that they so desperately require.