The conflict started in March 2011 with civil unrest. It progressed and now it is a full-on civil war. On the 12th of February 2013, the United Nations stated that the wars´ death toll had exceeded 70.000.
With time there has been a dramatic increase in the number of refugees fleeing to Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. In Jordan there are 53,299 Syrian Refugees. (UNHCR). The lives of the Syrians have been disturbed. The health care systems have also taken a hit. The shortage of and increased costs of medicines in Syria is just the tip of the iceberg. A recent WHO report stated that “the hospitals and health centers that are operating are overwhelmed with
patients”. Of the country’s 88 public hospitals, half have been partially or completely destroyed and 23 are non-functional. Of the 1919 health centers, 106 are no longer functional and 186 have been
destroyed.
IFMSA for Humanity – What if it was your brother?
IFMSA was created to make an impact on the world and to empower its members in taking their vision and ideas, and making them a reality. IFMSA has inspired generations of medical students to develop the leadership abilities and skills to take on challenges and to improve the world around them. IFMSA Jordan has initiated a project which aims to help refugees from Syria who has been fleeing to the neighbor Jordan. This project is an epitome of the humanitarian work of IFMSA. As the unrest intensifies and there are an increased number of refugees, there is also an increased need for humanitarian assistance. As such, this IFMSA campaign: Help for Health – Situation SYRIA has been created to enable each IFMSAian to play his or her part. During this GA-MM2013, the Situation SYRIA Campaign Working Group will provide you with additional information on the situation in Syria. You may read blogs, articles, flyers as well as listen as we present more information to you. At the close of MM13, we hope that each delegate will have fulfilled the humanitarian responsibility and made a contribution to this cause. As such, there will be an opportunity at the Closing Ceremony for each person to make a contribution. In playing our part, IFMSA has selected the international aid organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF-Doctors Without Borders). MSF is one of few similar organizations that aim to help civilians in areas with turmoil. Since June 2012, MSF has for Syrian refugees provided medical care for over 11,000 persons including for violence-related injuries such as gunshot wounds and explosion caused injuries.
In this time, greater than 1,200 surgical procedures have been done. (http://www.msf.org.uk/syria.focus)
MSF has been requesting assistance in continuing its work of providing medical care to the Syrian refugees. IFMSA has now stepped forward to offer some help through the General Assembly. So, we urge you to think of our Syrian brothers and sisters. Remember, this could have been you or your sister or your family. Wouldn’t you like to have helped if you were in this position?
See you all in Baltimore!
On behalf of the Syria Refugee Campaign Working Group,
Marta Azevedo (PorMISC- Portugal) and Sachalee Campbell (JAMSA- Jamaica)
For more info: Project Coordinator Moa Herrgård, [email protected], FB: Situation SYRIA
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