Warning against stopping support of the health sector to civilians in northern Syria

While the northern regions of Syria are witnessing military conflicts and an unprecedented airlift in populated areas, they have been suspended (German Agency for Technical Assistance GIZ) (Idlib, Hama, Aleppo), without giving any reasons, in the midst of growing fears among workers in the sector of lack of support or the search for alternatives to help them continue.

The health directorates in Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, announced yesterday, with separate statements, that their staff would suspend support for the project of empowering the health directorates by the international donor, as of mid-September, and continue to pay wages for three months. "According to pre-signed agreements between donors and the policies they govern, the work of the directorates will be voluntary after the next three months," she added. She announced that she will lead a new advocacy campaign to reactivate the project and thus ensure the continuity of health services provided to civilians.

In this regard, he said Mahmoud Abbas, "The decision to stop any aid will affect the work of most medical facilities, in connection with the harsh conditions in the areas covered by the resolution, particularly with continued attacks by the Syrian regime and Russia, and the deliberate targeting of civilians, "he said.

"This decision concerns all medical facilities and projects including children's and women's hospitals, primary health care centers and ambulatory systems," Abbas said, "these projects require a great deal of capacity and their work will be greatly affected by the cessation of their support. "

For his part, Dr. Munther al-Khalil, "During the recent wave of displacement, as a result of the regime's and Russia's attacks on the Idlib and Hama regions, the health directorates have not received a real response from donors and support organizations, with the exception of the response of local communities and civilians, according to their potential. "

"The decision to stop health sector support from the suffering of civilians in the region, as the health directorates are the backbone of the health sector in the northwestern regions of the country. Syria, and many services are provided directly, such as (dialysis centers, blood banks, etc.) TALASEMIA Centers), some hospitals and other health centers, as well as essential central projects such as the system of health information, medical waste management and drug control, as well as the referral system linking medical institutions to each other.

According to Hebron, "the most vulnerable groups will be the most vulnerable in the community (women and children), where there is a high mortality rate among children under five, due to lack of health care. health in general, providing the most basic services such as drinking water in many areas of the Idlib countryside. "

"The medical staff will be determined to volunteer until a solution is found, but the biggest challenge is to maintain the services that need support with great potential. We have no one in Syria who can secure the budget for the health sector, which will affect civilians who can not afford it. " The private sector and its burden, because they are basically unable to make a living because of poor economic conditions. "

"The health directorates are working hard to find alternative solutions, including finding new donors or transferring some free services for a nominal salary to secure their operational costs, as well as integrating some medical facilities when conditions of security permit, "he said.

Meanwhile, the response coordinators in northern Syria issued a statement on Sunday expressing their deep regret that donor support is over, resulting in the suspension of more than 160 medical centers, hospitals and blood banks. In the region.

The declaration expresses its total solidarity with the health departments of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo as independent services and institutions serving more than 4.7 million people in northern Syria. All donors call on the medical sector in northern Syria to continue to provide support, The region is witnessing a mbadive displacement and the systematic destruction of medical facilities by the Syrian regime and the Russian ally, " warning "all parties of the disastrous consequences of the cessation of aid to the medical sector, as well as growing fears about the spread of diseases and epidemics in northern Syria. "

In this regard, he said Mohamed Hallag, The director of the coordinators of the response, told Geron that "the German agency has several projects in Syria and decided to suspend support for wages of workers in the health sector, without knowing the reasons". He explained that "the reasons for this decision of the agency will be clear in the coming days nearby".

He added: "The repeated suspension of badistance to the health sector staff is worrisome.The agency has suspended its help at the beginning of the year, and then resumed after a month in difficult conditions. "As coordinators of the response, we are launching an awareness campaign in coordination with the health directorates to restore support to the medical sector, which serves more than 4 million people."

The German Technical Support Agency (GIZ) has already suspended support for health projects in the health departments of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama earlier this year due to military changes in the country and the control of the country. Sham liberation organization in most parts of northern Syria. After a month of support, but through (Union of relief and health organizations).