the new enemy in the North of Syria has not arrived. At least, not officially. But the fear that COVID-19 will also reach the Region of Idlib, is day-to-day. The Virus is already in the country. “Only” five Infected, there will be, more don’t want to acknowledge the Ministry of health of the Assad regime.
Only in the past few weeks, the people need not fear the bombing of the Syrian regime and its ally, Russia, at least for the time being, you don’t have to, because it’s a ceasefire. Over a Million people have fled the province since the beginning of the military offensive in December 2019 before the bombings, most of them women and children. They have to leave their homes and their villages. All of them are Displaced in their own country, some for the second, third, or fourth Time on the run, living under the most difficult conditions in makeshift Camps.
There are ten people share, not infrequently, a few square meters in a tent. Sleep, eat, live close. “How am I supposed to say to these people that they should keep a distance?”, Huda Khayti, head of the women’s centre in the city of Idlib asks. She runs a public awareness campaign on the topic of COVID-19. “These people have little access to clean water, there are only a few toilets for a lot to many people, no masks, no gloves.”
Hardly any water, no soap
hands are keep wash and the physical distance in the overcrowded Camps is simply not possible. To quarantine is not thinking. Some can and your kids for days, not showering, hourly hand-washing illusory. And what about your defenses, one can only guess.
It would not only be a challenge if the Coronavirus reached Idlib, no, it would be a disaster. An outbreak would be “devastating” for the thousands of people whose health status is already weakened now by food and water shortages, as well as the cold, said the spokeswoman for the International Rescue Committee, Misty Buswell.
Because while many countries are overwhelmed with the functioning of the health systems to provide their diseased citizens, the people in the war zone Idlib with your weak health system is particularly affected.
Some Doctors in Idlib even assume that the Virus has already killed. You know it’s just not safe. For it is only in these days, the world health organization (WHO), around 300 test kits to Idlib. Currently, deliveries with medical Material will be transported via Turkey to Idlib. WHO trains according to your speaker already medical personnel, and prepares the laboratories in Idlib and Ankara, to be able to Coronavirus-Tests make. “We have a very bad medical care,” says Huda Khayti. The worry in her voice is heard. To protect against an invisible enemy, are beyond the capacity of many people.
150 intensive care beds for 3.5 million people
85 hospitals have been alone in 2019 in the military offensive in the Region destroyed. In a targeted manner. Therefore, the houses provide only three health, a total of about 3.5 million people, a single but is only fully functional, says Till Küster, Syria coordinator for the organization Medico International. According to WHO, only about 150 are intensive care beds available, again so many ventilators. Sexton says, the Sick have to be brought a long for the treatment in Turkey. Even before the Corona time.
Medico International supports Huda Khaytis women’s centre in Idlib. The head itself came in the spring of 2018 alone to Idlib. At that time, the democratic opposition and rebel groups alike in the province, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-sham (HTS) – far away from the Assad Regime. But this is to gain control over the last remaining Anti-Regime-stronghold back, by all means.
educational Workshops on the topic of Corona
Since then, Huda Khayti and your Team Workshops for women to legal issues, but also to many other topics. But are currently in the back. Because since a few days, the issue of Corona is education a top priority. “We explain to the women in the Workshops, what are the symptoms of Corona-Infected are typical. We clarify the necessary Hygiene to keep about that distance. But we also show how you can make masks for themselves.” Money to buy masks, the Least, and it Material is not sufficiently available.
The women in Huda Khaytis Workshop were concerned, she says. They asked a lot of questions, wanted tips on how they could not the children in the house deal, so they played outside, and may be infected. “We want to create the awareness of the people goes as well as it, with the few resources you have to watch out for.” Still too many people in the city were on the way.
to distribute hygiene bags for the surrounding camp
next, Khayti plans with the support of Medico International, in the surrounding refugee small hygiene bags with soap, gloves and disinfectant store. A drop in the bucket, but better than nothing. “We want to educate people, there are many who have not dealt with the subject at all apart yet. I don’t know if they survive a possible disease on COVID-19,” she says.
it would take to bring about A ceasefire to the people, at least the worry will be back soon bombed. Because it can always go back to los. Syrian leader Assad has already indicated that he Idlib to the Region by all means continue to fight. The Huda Khayti white. “We will do what we can with the resources we have to help the people prepare,” she says. Because if for the first time officially, the Virus, the people in Idlib captured, then they were all delivered. “Then we need to close ourselves to the surrender, and perhaps, too, the women’s center.”
author: Diana Hodali
dubious Corona self-tests do not work: So you can test PCP can dubious Corona self-tests do not work: you can test Where is Coronavirus? Real-time map showing the spread of the disease, FOCUS Online/Wochit Where is Coronavirus? Real-time map showing the spread of the disease
*The post “Three hospitals for 3.5 million people: Idlib would be a Virus” is delivered published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
Deutsche Welle
