Doctors without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said that the Assad regime is to blame for the deteriorating health conditions in various parts of Damascus countryside as the regime continues to deny the medical charity access to the areas under its control.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, MSF called on the Assad regime to reverse its seven-year ban on the medical charity, issuing an urgent appeal for access to wounded people in regime-held territory. It said that people in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta are in urgent need for medical care after all healthcare facilities were destroyed in the onslaught the Assad regime launched in the area in March.
“The levels of trauma, both mental and physical, caused during the March offensive to take control of eastern Ghouta are beyond my comprehension,” said Meinie Nicolai, MSF General Director.
“MSF-supported facilities recorded more than 5,600 wounded patients during the first 16 days of the offensive. We also know about the non-trauma health needs that have built up among men, women and children in eastern Ghouta over the years of besiegement, ranging from chronic health conditions to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis,” Nicolai added.
The statement said MSF had in April submitted a request to Syria’s foreign ministry to get permission to provide medical assistance alongside the Syrian Arab Red Crescent but had not received a response.
The medical charity has set up several medical centers in Raqqa, Ayn Issa and the town of Tabqa following the ouster of the ISIS extremist group from the province. The centers are providing health care to those injured by explosions of landmines and explosive remnants, which has angered the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
