Mass vaccinations are under way in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other neighbouring countries as measles epidemic explodes following the civil war in Syria, in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease.
In fact, most of the children born after the conflict in Syria are unvaccinated, all those under two and soon those under three years of age, placing them at risk of widespread epidemics and death.
Unicef is stepping up vaccinations campaign in the area to try halting what is becoming a health crisis among refugees and Syrian children.
Because there are no health services to speak of in Syria, more than 4 million Syrian refugees have brought with them children that have received no vaccinations.
Being in camps and in close quarters puts them at high risk, since the encampments are breeding grounds for disease and there is no sewer system.
In addition, a hot summer is coming soon, promising new misery and disease on the already packed camps.
The refugees now have surpassed by far the 4 million mark. Of these, almost one half are children.
Since the civil war, 332 cases of measles have been reported in Iraq alone, in the Domiz refugee camps. In Lebanon, likewise, 300 children have become ill. Worse hit so far has been Turkey, with almsot 4000 cases.
Medicines Sans Frontieres doctors also relate that the Syrian situation, medically speaking, is becoming so bleak, that the scale and severity of the humanitarian emergency is almost unprecedented.
To make things worse, a third of all health care structures in Syria have been bombed. Women are dying of childbirth, and newborns are dying for lack of medical care.
And what few medical centers there are, people do not want to visit, because they are scared they will be snared by Syrian militia and end up in prison or tortured.
The other problem is that the rebels and insurgents are given priority over civilians in terms of care, and that poses serious risks for the population at large.
Source : Unicef / 5.21.13 // NPR / 5.20.13
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