Knights of Malta open a new Syrian refugee camp in Kilis

09,Oct. 2013: The flow of refugees from Syria is paralyzing the camps on the border with Turkey, where essential goods, shelter and medicines are now lacking. Malteser International, the Order of the Knights of Malta's organization for humanitarian aid, has created a new camp for the reception of refugees near the town of Kilis. For months, thousands of people have been living in the region in makeshift shelters .On its opening day there were more than 4 thousand refugees. In the coming days another 1000 refugees are expected to arrive. The camp also has a clinic, where currently about 80 refugees have been admitted in critical condition, mostly pregnant women. Malteser International has been active in Syria, Turkey and Lebanon since August 2012 . It currently provides emergency aid for more than 30 thousand people .
Together with the organization Turkish Blue Crescent, Malteser International has already distributed relief kits consisting of food rations and medicines to refugees. The most serious cases are sent to the field hospital set up in the inner city of Kilis , with 28 beds that supports the local polyclinic . In the coming months the organization has plans to open two other mobile medical stations, to serve the areas near the Turkish border, According to data from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,(UNHCR) there are nearly 2 million refugees fleeing from Syria. At least 1 million of these are children . With the arrival of winter, the situation is likely to worsen and the U.N. estimates that as early as next January, 50% the population still in Syria will not be able to fend for itself .