Emergency Medical Aid Arrives as Syria Crisis Grows More Deadly

“The catastrophe in Syria has continued to escalate. Despite the amount of aid mobilized to deal with the crisis, the needs on the ground far outstrip available resources.”
Karl Erdmann, AmeriCares emergency response managerThe deadly conflict in Syria has emerged as one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises, with more than four million persons displaced within Syria and another million refugees fleeing the violence into neighboring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. As the tragedy continues to unfold, AmeriCares is working to address the needs of Syrians, wherever they are.To date, we have provided more than $2 million in medical and humanitarian relief to local organizations best positioned to help victims of the crisis.Amid a worsening situation, more medical aid is desperately needed. Please help today so we can continue our lifesaving work with Syrian refugees »A new shipment of urgently requested intravenous fluids has been sent to a partner working with hospitals in the region facing an acute shortage. These IV fluids will make it possible to treat patients suffering from trauma, wounds, burns, and dehydration or administer life saving intravenous medications such as antibiotics. Additional shipments are being built to help partners in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey care for refugees in those countries.“The scale and brutality of this relentless civil war has had a devastating impact on the Syrian people,” explained Karl Erdmann, emergency response manager at AmeriCares.  “With so many completely cut off from any kind of assistance, huge waves of people in dire need have overwhelmed local resources and aid organizations. The complexity of the situation on the ground and critical shortages of medicines to treat the sick and injured intensify this major humanitarian crisis.” $2 million in medical and humanitarian aidA mother walks with her children outside the refugees camp near the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern city of Yayladagi  Photo by REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra, www.Trust.orgIn June, 2013, AmeriCares deployed anemergency response team to Jordan and Turkey to meet with partners working in the region and assess the urgent needs of Syrian refugees. A team was also deployed earlier in the crisis, in April, 2012. Our response to date includes:

• Four shipments of medical aid to partners delivering health care services at refugee camps in Syria Turkey and Jordan, filling a crucial gap in health care needs. A total of $1.1 million in medical aid has been delivered, including enough antibiotics and other medicines to treat an estimated 37,000 people.
• Two grants to help partners with local procurements of essential drugs and urgently needed medical equipment.
• $1.1+ million in medical aid to volunteer health care teams providing lifesaving medical care to Syrians in need throughout the region through our Medical Outreach Program.

As the civil conflict rages, many Syrian hospitals and health centers are experiencing dangerous shortages in medicines. The fighting has destroyed hospitals and caused significant damage to the pharmaceutical plants that produced 90 percent of the medicine in the country, according to U.N. agencies.“The catastrophe in Syria has continued to escalate,” said Erdmann. “Despite the amount of aid mobilized to deal with the crisis, the needs on the ground far outstrip available resources.”Our team will continue to coordinate with organizations in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to provide additional assistance to help refugees and others affected by the crisis.Read MoreDonate Now