Girl in Raqqa has fibrosis pulmonary, father cannot afford treatment
Al-Hakoumiya IDP camp in Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria – North Press
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – As weather conditions become more severe, Mihedi finds himself embattled in how to protect his daughter. Fog adds more burdens to the condition of his daughter who lives with her family in an IDP camp in the north of Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria.
Mihedi Muhammad, 47, is an IDP from Deir ez-Zor who lives right now in al-Hakoumiya IDP camp, 35 km north of Raqqa, said the condition of his daughter “worsens in winter”.
Two years ago, Ghroub’s condition worsened. Doctors advised her father to take her to Damascus for treatment. Today Ghroub is eight years old.
Muhammad added that doctors previously said his daughter was diagnosed with asthma and upon reaching eight she would recover. However, another doctor based in Raqqa told him that Ghroub was diagnosed with bronchiectasis and that treatment could be found in Damascus.
The father took his daughter to the Syrian capital where the doctors blamed him why he had taken such a long time because she was diagnosed with fibrosis pulmonary.
Both livers of Ghroub are damaged, and she cannot undergo surgery. She was advised to proceed with treatment which is going to be a long one.
It is two years since the father takes his daughter periodically to Damascus. His traveling to Damascus could take a month period. This adds more hardships to the family’s situation amid dire economic conditions sweeping the country.
Repeatedly, Muhammad has asked NGOs to provide treatment to Ghroub. They asked Muhammad to reside in the city of Raqqa for that end because they do not operate in the countryside of Raqqa.
Amid such a dire reality, Muhammad could not afford to rent a house in the city of Raqqa owing to high prices of rents and his inability to sustain a job. He is used to traveling to Damascus from one time to another.
All IDPs living in camps in Raqqa endure a lack of diesel a fact that aggravates the already plight of living in such a situation. They depend on collected straws and wood from the fields nearby for cooking and heating.
Ghroub needs twice a day to use a nebulizer. Owing to non-availability of electricity adds more burdens to the family.
Nebulizer needs a special matter that is not available in Raqqa, we bring it from Damascus in return for 30.000 SYP. Each can suffices a use. “I have spent more than 30 Million SYP. A trip to Damascus costs us 3-5 million.”