Syria facing ‘medical disaster’ as eradicated diseases return
PARIS // Syria is facing a “medical and humanitarian disaster” after nearly four years of war have gutted the country’s health care system, leading to a return of eradicated diseases, a group of Syrian doctors said in Paris on Monday.
A lack of doctors, supplies and drugs have plunged the country back into the medical dark ages, with polio and scabies back with a vengeance as many children are no longer vaccinated, while the majority of births take place at home.
“The situation is unbearable, catastrophic and many in Syria no longer have access to medical care,” said Oubaida Al Moufti, a French-Syrian doctor and member of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations (UOSSM).
He was speaking to journalists late on Monday at the foreign ministry in Paris which lends support to the organisation. (continued)