Cease support to hospital in Syria’s Raqqa raises protest
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, residents and civil organizations of Raqqa, north Syria, protested in front of a hospital for maternity, gynecological and children condemning support cease provided by an organization to the hospital.
On November 17, the EU supporting organization, ECHO, officially informed the hospital’s management that it would stop the support provided to the hospital late in November without clear reasons, according to the hospital’s management.
Dozens of residents of Raqqa that used to benefit of services provided in the hospital , organizations, and charities operating in the city participated in the protest.
Civil society organizations have organized the protest in solidarity with residents of Raqqa demanding that supporters continue their support taking into consideration the deterioration of economic conditions in Syria, Issa al-Setem, a civil activist of Raqqa, said.
“The US-led Global Coalition and the supporting organizations have to reconsider the support provided to the hospital since most of the beneficiaries are of poor and limited-income families, who cannot tolerate the increasing expenses of private hospitals,” al-Setem added.
Monthly, about 10,000 patients of Raqqa and its countryside benefit from the services provided in the hospital, because the hospital is specialized in women’s diseases including natural childbirth and caesarean in addition to free offered examinations and medicines, according to the hospital’s management.
Additionally, over 150 children are checked up in the hospital on a daily basis.
The hospital includes external clinics for children and a care center for them with 40 beds and 16 incubators and this department is subjected to 24-hour observation for free.
The ECHO is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to a child experiencing a challenging medical or living emergency. ECHO’s goal is to help ease the burden financially, along with brightening the child’s life during a time of crisis.