UK offers £2 million to face cholera in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The UK announced on Friday sending £2 million to “treat cholera outbreak” in Syria and the money will be channeled to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The UK said, in a press release, “This funding will contribute to UNICEF’s cholera response, including establishing cholera treatment centres, giving people access to cholera kits and training the public on how to prevent the spread of cholera.”
Minister of State and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad Raised concern over the outbreak which is the first in more than ten years.
“With humanitarian needs the highest they have ever been, there is a significant risk that malnutrition, lack of access to clean water and chronic conditions, will see the situation deteriorate even further,” Ahmad added.
On October 26, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that millions of people across Syria lack reliable access to sufficient and safe water.
On October 18, the UN attributed the rise in cholera cases in Syria to severe decline in Euphrates River water level, drought-like conditions, and people recourse to unsecured water sources.
Turkey has been holding water of the Euphrates within its territory since 2020 amid warns that a humanitarian catastrophe is to face the region soon especially with the river declining to record levels.
In addition, since October 2019, Turkey and its affiliated armed opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), have controlled the Alouk water pumping station, following its invasion of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad in the same month.
Since then, Turkey has cut off water to Hasakah for 27 times, according to official statements by officials of the Autonomous Administration of north and East Syria (AANES).
More than 24.000 suspected cholera cases and more than 80 deaths recorded across Syria, in addition to reporting confirmed cases in all governorates, according to the UN.
“The UK has not forgotten Syria and we will continue to work with international partners to ensure there is a coordinated response on the ground,” Ahmad said.
On October 26, Non-governmental groups said the UN has made tens of millions of dollars by contracting companies linked to individuals, affiliated with the Syrian government, who were sanctioned for involvement in human rights abuses.
On 20 October, dozens complaints were filed by staffers against World Health Organization’s (WHO) top representative in Syria, Dr. Akjemal Magtymova, accusing her of corruption, fraud and abuse.