Red Cross to Triple Health Budget for Syria

The Red Cross on Tuesday said it wanted to triple its health budget for conflict-riven Syria to 12 million euros, saying several clinics had either been damaged or closed. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also appealed for health kits and said it needed a total of 122 million Swiss francs (101 million euros, $123 million) to cater to eight million people in Syria in 2015. “Humanitarian needs remain huge within Syria, and they continue to grow,” said IFRC secretary general who visited Syria earlier this month to witness the situation on the ground. “Health is an area of primary concern. We do not want to see people who survived bombs and bullets, die because they could not get to a doctor, or receive the medicines they need to treat common illnesses.” (Source: Syrian Coalition + Agencies)