Al-Baghouz – North-Press Agency
Jindar Abdel Qader
Many skin diseases have spread in the town of al-Baghouz, on the Iraqi-Syrian border in the far east of Deir ez-Zor. Most notable of these is leishmaniasis, which is known locally as “Habet al-Sana” or “Habet Halab”, amid the absence of services, hygiene, and other sanitary conditions.
The town suffers from the spread of pests such as rats, mice, and sandflies, amid the low level of basic services necessary for the continuation of the lives of its residents, who returned to the town after the expulsion of the terror group ISIS and declaration of victory in March of last year.
Walid Mohamad Hamadah, a resident of al-Baghouz, told North-Press: "About four months ago, my three-year-old child suffered from leishmaniasis. We gave him many drugs and injections and used various treatments, but it was all in vain."
He explained that his son has a special situation because he suffers from hydronephrosis (swollen kidneys), and he needs special care in addition to effective medicines to treat leishmaniasis.
The town of al-Baghouz in eastern Syria, the last stronghold of the Islamic State where fierce fighting between ISIS and the US-led Global Coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces occurred, witnessed extensive destruction, as were most of the eastern cities and villages of Deir ez-Zor, from Hajin to al-Baghouz. The infrastructure of these towns has been largely destroyed.
The town, which had a population of 40,000 according to old Syrian government statistics, is suffering from devastation and destruction in addition to the presence of unsafely buried bodies of ISIS members who were killed in Coalition airstrikes. They were buried between fields and farms, according to residents of the town.
The pharmacist Asaad Adel Issa, in al-Baghouz, told North-Press that the most common diseases in his town are leishmaniasis, bacterial and fungal skin diseases such as itching and scabies, while flu cases are common in winter.
Regarding the treatment of leishmaniasis, Issa noted that most nurses do not have experience dealing with leishmaniasis and how to give injections, as they need medical courses, pointing out that there is a single inactive medical center in the town of al-Baghouz. It does not provide any service due to lack of equipment and medicine in the center.
The director of the al-Baghouz health clinic, Ibrahim al-Tafrah, explained: "The center was equipped as a building and structure for about three months, but as for furniture or medicines, we did not get anything, so we cannot receive patients because of the limited services available."
A report by North-Press highlighted the service situations in the town and the suffering of the people on the first anniversary of ISIS expulsion from the town on the 23rd of last March, as they were forced to use the unsterilized water of the Euphrates River for washing and drinking, according to local residents.