Insufficient humanitarian response funding fails Syrians’ Needs – NGO
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – 13 years of war, death, displacement, destruction, crisis and resilience, only 59 percent of hospitals and 57 percent of primary care centers are fully operational, Doctors of the World said in a report.
Doctors of the World, a France-based NGO that has been working in Northeast Syria since 2017, reported that Syria only manages to cover 36 percent of the funding for its humanitarian health needs.
One of the major factors contributing to this situation is the mass exodus of health professionals from the country, leaving healthcare facilities with a severe shortage of staff, the NGO noted.
It further explained that this shortage has been further exacerbated by the escalation of attacks on critical infrastructure, including health centers, oil refineries, water stations, and power grids, in Northeast Syria.
The NGO emphasized that the Northeast region heavily relies on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for its healthcare services, as private consultations are unaffordable for many and the public system remains highly fragile. Without the support of NGOs, primary health care centers often lack qualified health professionals, necessary equipment, and quality standards.
Another pressing issue highlighted in the report is the shortage of vaccines, which has led to outbreaks and epidemics. Furthermore, the Syrian government and private pharmaceutical companies have significantly increased the prices of medicines and pharmaceuticals in the past two years, placing an additional burden on the population.
Primary health care centers without NGO support often lack health professionals, the necessary equipment and quality standards, the repot stressed.
The report emphasized that the Northeast region heavily relies on non-governmental organizations for its healthcare services, as private consultations are unaffordable for many and the public system remains highly fragile.
It stressed that without the support of NGOs, primary health care centers often lack qualified health professionals, necessary equipment, and quality standards.
Another pressing issue highlighted in the report is the shortage of vaccines, which has led to outbreaks and epidemics. Furthermore, the Syrian government and private pharmaceutical companies have significantly increased the prices of medicines and pharmaceuticals in the past two years, placing an additional burden on the population.
The Doctors of the World stressed that the conflict has taken a toll on the mental health of the Syrian population, with widespread post-traumatic disorder symptoms, including anxiety, stress, and depression. However, seeking psychological support remains highly stigmatized, especially among women and adolescent girls.
In addition to healthcare challenges, the population in Northeast Syria faces economic hardships, with food security being a major concern. Inflation rates have soared, making basic necessities and healthcare services unaffordable for many, it added.
Furthermore, attacks on critical infrastructures such as oil refineries, water stations, and power grids have left more than one million people without electricity and resulted in increased water scarcity and waterborne diseases, the NGO stressed.
The report highlighted those health facilities in the region report an upward trend in cases of acute diarrhea, reflecting inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene services.