WHO says Syrians are enduring a deteriorating health crisis

(Vatican Radio) A conference in support of the Syrian people will get underwayTuesday in Kuwait. The third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference will see participation from 78 states as well as the United Nations and World Health Organisation (WHO). It is hoped the meeting will raise billions of dollars for severely underfunded appeals.

The Syrian conflict is now entering its fifth year and the WHO says that in the city of Aleppo alone it is estimated that there are more than 1.3 million people there in need of health assistance.

Listen to Lydia O'Kane's interview with WHO Spokesperson, Tarik Jasarevic

WHO Spokesperson, Tarik Jasarevic recently returned from a visit to the country and is attending the pledging conference in Kuwait. He told Lydia O’Kane that millions of Syrians are enduring a deteriorating health crisis.  He said that due to the ongoing conflict, “more health facilities, hospitals, health centres, ambulances are being put out of function, more health workers are leaving the country. We know also that immunization coverage is lower than it used to be…we also know there is a shortage of medicines for many diseases.”

He goes on to say than all these elements together make them very concerned about, “what will be the health status of the Syrian population in the coming months and this is why we are at the Kuwait pledging conference right now trying to raise funds so we can continue what we have been doing since the beginning of the conflict and that is trying to ease the access to health services for Syrians.”

The World Health Organisation is appealing for US$ 124 million to continue its support to health services in Syria.

It says that for 2015, “WHO has received virtually no new funds for its humanitarian operations in Syria and in neighbouring countries. “

More than 16 million Syrians and Syrian refugees are in need of humanitarian health support in 2015, for which WHO and its health partners require US$ 687 million.