Hundreds killed as Syrian government targets medical centers
Seven Medical Facilities Attacked in One Day in Syria Leaving Thousands with Little or No Medical Care
A four day surge in violence has left 237 dead and 1250 injured in Eastern Ghouta. Seven medical facilities were also attacked throughout Syria, leaving thousands with scarce access to medical care where it is needed most.
Yesterday at 9:50 a.m. Damascus time, the Mishmeshan Primary Health Center in Idlib was attacked, destroying it completely, and putting it out of service. Six were killed. Four medical staff and four Syrian Civil Defense paramedics (White Helmets) were injured along with several others that were on premises at the time of the attack.
Mishmeshan PHC medical center destroyed in Syrian Government assaults Feb. 9, 2018. Photo courtesy of UOSSM Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
In addition, at 8 p.m. Damascus time, the Al Rahma Hospital in Khan Sheikhoun was attacked and put out of service. The hospital was completely destroyed. One of the medical staff was killed and several others were injured. Yesterday, the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) center in Khan Sheikhoun was also attacked killing three members of the White Helmets, and wounding four others.
On February 7, the obstetrics hospital in Douma, Eastern Ghouta was targeted by airstrikes causing severe damage and the death of an administrative worker.
On February 6 at 11 a.m. Damascus time, the ‘Save a Soul’ Mental Health Center in Eastern Ghouta was hit by several missiles. At around the same time a ‘Save a Soul’ Primary Health Care Center was also attacked. Two staff and two patients were wounded. The center provided healthcare for 20,400 patients.
On February 6, a dental clinic in ‘Albaraa center’ of Eastern Ghouta was targeted and destroyed.
There have been at least 35 attacks on medical facilities and staff in 2018, leaving thousands in a vulnerable state with little or no access to medical care. Many of the attacks are within the ‘de-escalation zone’ and have large populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are extremely vulnerable already.
Kathleen Rowan CEO of UOSSM USA said: “These numbers are deplorable. To have 237 civilians killed, and seven medical facilities attacked in just four days is unacceptable. The injured are afraid to go to area hospitals because of these attacks. Targeting medical facilities is a war crime and we call on the international community to put an immediate stop to the attacks.”
خاص شبكة اخبار ادلب الاضرار الناتجة عن استهداف مشفى الرحمة ومركز الدفاع المدني في مدينة خان شيخون
About UOSSM
Since 2012, UOSSM has been providing emergency medical relief and healthcare services to the Syrian people affected by the crisis, working primarily inside Syria and with Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Partially supported 120 hospitals and 200 medical points with $15 M in medications and consumables sufficient to operate over 130,000 surgeries
1,000,000+ patients treated at our 13 primary health care centers and 12 mobile clinics with over 1,000,000 consultations
2,872 newborns delivered at the Burnas Maternity Hospital and other UOSSM specialized maternity centers
130,000+ people benefited from our mental health care and psycho-social support centers
10,000+ medical staff have been trained and qualified at UOSSM’s training centers
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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