Médecins du Monde s intervention in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon

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1 Médecins du Monde Syrian Crisis

2 médecins du monde Syrian Crisis w Médecins du Monde s intervention in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon Since March 2011, the humanitarian situation in Syria has been rapidly deteriorating. Mass killings, the heavy shelling of Syrian cities and villages and car bombs have killed more than 100,000 people in two and a half years while thousands more have been injured, arrested or tortured. Violence, fear and the destruction of infrastructures and livelihoods have fuelled a large-scale exodus within Syria and to neighbouring countries. Airstrikes on hospitals, violence against healthcare professionals, hijacking medical facilities, and lack of supplies and equipment has brought Syria s health system to its knees. In this context, the treatment of trauma injuries and post-operative care has become more and more challenging. But Syrian lives are also seriously endangered by increased difficulties in treating and preventing common contagious diseases. There is a serious shortfall in vaccinations and treatments for chronic illnesses. Despite the magnitude of the needs, humanitarian access to the country is extremely limited in this highly unstable situation, where humanitarian organisations are regularly being targeted. Nonetheless, Médecins du Monde (MdM) has been providing healthcare services in northern Syria since October MdM also supports Syrian doctors who are helping wounded and sick people all over Syria. In addition, MdM is strongly involved in ensuring healthcare access for the increasing number of Syrians who have fled to Lebanon and Jordan. MdM is also helping these countries to cope with the influx of refugees: a situation that could threaten their entire health system. In the face of this human tragedy, MdM has chosen to speak out through various media and advocacy campaigns. As part of its mandate, MdM denounces violence against civilians, healthcare workers, sick and injured people and calls for an end to hostilities so that relief can be brought to those in need.

3 médecins du monde Syrian Crisis MDM IN LEBANON Gaziantep TURKEY w938,392 refugees* w63,934 primary healthcare consultations in the healthcare centres supported by MdM ** w282 patients receiving mental health care** Beirut Hay el Sellom ISRAEL Mediterranean Sea Latakia LEBANON Ramtha El Ain Damascus Daraa Zaatari Amman North-Idlib Aleppo Idlib Hama Homs El Qaa Kamed el Loz MDM IN JORDAN SYRIA JORDAN w576,354 refugees* IRAQ Deir ez-zor MDM IN SYRIA w9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance * w6.5 million internally displaced persons * w 63,261 primary healthcare consultations in MdM healthcare centres** w13,969 post-operative consultations** w 5,376 sexual and reproductive health consultations** w 398 women accomodated with their newborns** w81,037 primary healthcare consultations in MdM healthcare centres** w573 patients receiving mental health care** Healthcare centres Sending areas for medical kits * Source : United Nations Situation beginning of November 2013 ** MdM numbers from 1/1/2013 until 31/12/2013

4 w What are our activities? In syria waccess to primary and reproductive healthcare for internally displaced Syrians MdM healthcare centre in Zaatari camp Since October 2012, MdM has been working with Syrian nurses and doctors to provide healthcare services in camps for displaced Syrians in the North Idlib area, near the Turkish border. Due to increasing needs, MdM has set up new medical structures and currently manages nine Primary Health Care Centres in nine different camps in the region. All centres provide: Free consultations, treatments and medications; Vaccinations for children and pregnant women. MdM also opened a Woman and Child Centre in March 2013, providing: Sexual and reproductive health services: ante-natal, postnatal and obstetric care, family planning services; Post-partum services: five-day accommodation and care for women and their newborn; Referral to MdM-supported facilities for free deliveries and C-sections. Jordan Clément Mahoudeau w Material support to Syrian doctors and volunteers Since the start of the conflict, networks of physicians and volunteers have been established to try to cope with emergency medical needs throughout the country. Every day, these groups risk their lives as they sometimes have to hide in makeshift health centers to operate the wounded or take care of the sick. They have also managed to set up the means to smuggle drugs across the borders. MdM supports these Syrian doctors and volunteers by supplying them with drugs, equipment and surgery kits. Through its positioning in northern Syria, in Lebanon and Jordan, MdM has established strong ties with network partners who are able to reach and treat people throughout most of Syria s territory. In addition, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases throughout the camps, MdM has set up waste disposal and management systems as well as the ongoing distribution of hygiene kits. w Post-operative and rehabilitative care for wounded civilians MdM supports a post-operative and rehabilitation centre on the Syrian- Turkish border which follows up with patients operated elsewhere for trauma injuries. MdM aims at improving physiotherapy and post operative care in the centre through: Capacity-building of the centre s staff; Supply of drugs, equipment and consumables; Development of new services (laboratory, rehabilitation tools, etc.). IN lebanon w Access to comprehensive healthcare services for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese In the Bekaa Valley and in the south of Beirut, MdM supports Amel Association in managing three healthcare centres and a mobile medical unit. MdM assists a fourth healthcare centre located in the village of El Qaa, a few kilometres from the Syrian border.

5 The centres were set up years before the Syrian crisis to meet the medical needs of vulnerable Lebanese communities. Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, they have been overwhelmed by the massive influx of refugees in Lebanon and have required additional support. Furthermore, as Syrians who are scattered in the many villages and tented settlements of the Bekaa Valley cannot always reach the centers, new structures have been created such as the MdM/Amel mobile medical unit. MdM assists its partners in their efforts to provide vulnerable Syrians and Lebanese people with quality primary healthcare through: Financial support, so that the centres and mobile unit can offer free medical consultations to pregnant women and children under five as well as receive any vulnerable person at a symbolic price; Supply in essential drugs; Capacity-building of the medical teams and new recruitments. Beyond primary healthcare, MdM support focuses on three key areas: Mental health: MdM psychologists are present in the healthcare centres and provide consultations to patients with psychosomatic complaints; Reproductive health, with many consultations dedicated to antenatal and postnatal care as well as family planning and awareness sessions; Medical data collection and analysis in order to anticipate any outbreak and define intervention priorities. Healthcare centre supported by MdM in El Qaa IN Jordan w Access to comprehensive healthcare services for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians Since March 2012, MdM has ensured access to free and quality primary healthcare for Syrians who have fled to Jordan. In the northern parts of Jordan which hosts most of the Syrian refugees, MdM has set up and manages three healthcare centres. MdM also provides timely support to medical facilities run by the Jordanian Ministry of Health. A few days after the opening of Zaatari camp on July 28, 2012, a MdM primary healthcare centre was opened in the camp to cover the medical needs of Syrian newcomers. As Zaatari camp expanded to become the second biggest refugee camp in the world, MdM extended its coverage by opening a second healthcare centre there in April Most Syrian refugees live in Jordanian urban centres, preferring them to the confinement of the camps. They survive with limited resources and cannot afford to pay for medical care. Since July 2012, MdM has run a healthcare centre in the city of Ramtha, which is located a few kilometers from Dera a, the birthplace of the Syrian uprising, and home to many refugees. At the MdM centres, highly-trained teams deliver free healthcare services, including: Consultations with general practitioners, bandages, dressings, small sutures, drug prescription and supply; Monitoring, follow-up and referral of patients with chronic diseases; Health education; Immunisation; Family planning, antenatal and postnatal care; Mental health and psychosocial activities: training of outreach workers and doctors in the detection of mental health disorders, consultations with psychologists, referral to more specialised services if needed; Transfer of severe cases to hospitals, using two MdM ambulances. Lebanon Agnès Varraine Leca

6 medecins du monde Syrian Crisis w Médecins du monde: A medical NGO HEALTHCARE PLUS Médecins du Monde is an international humanitarian organisation providing medical care to vulnerable populations affected by war, natural disasters, disease, famine, poverty or exclusion. Originally established in France in 1980, the MdM international network now extends to 14 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. MdM s work depends on the efforts of nearly 3,000 medical and logistics professional volunteers. Thanks to their dedication and expertise, we are able to run emergency and development programmes in more than 60 countries while minimising costs. BEYOND MEDICAL CARE Although MdM s primary aim is to provide medical care, our work goes further to ensure long-lasting effectiveness. We draw on our experience on the ground to bear witness to obstacles to healthcare and to advocate for change. HOME AND ABRoAD Our projects take place in both developing and developed countries. Across the countries where the MdM network is present, our medical teams provide healthcare to the most vulnerable groups in their society. Syria Agnès Varraine Leca Médecins du Monde 62 rue Marcadet PARIS tel: Publication: Médecins du Monde - february 2014 Author: Cécile Génot Graphic design: Aurore Voet