Press Release
For Immediate Release
July 31, 2016
Three Medical Facilities Bombed in Past 12 Hours Throughout Syria
Edinburg, TX- Three medical facilities throughout Syria have been attacked and shut down in the past six hours, causing massive damage, casualties and death. Today, just hours ago two hospitals were targeted. Jasem Hospital in Daraa, partially supported by UOSSM, was hit by a missile right at the emergency room door, causing massive damage. The staff pharmacist, two medical staff and 10 civilians were killed ( including two children and four women). Jasem Hospital provided services to 35,000-40,000 patients a month including specialty services.
The Howar Hospital in the western Aleppo countryside was hit by two missiles and shut down, casualties are still unconfirmed.
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Photos of the destruction of Howar Hospital
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The Forensic Autopsy Lab in Aleppo was targeted today for the third time, killing two and injuring the entire staff.
Dr. Khaula Sawah, CEO of UOSSM USA said, “Targeting hospitals and medical facilities is a blatant crime against humanity, civilians are left without any access to medical care for miles, causing a rise in unnecessary deaths. In the past week seven medical facilities have been targeted, that’s an average of one a day. The international community must put a stop to this NOW, we cannot afford to stand by and wait as more and more innocent civilians are dying every day.”
There has been a sharp rise in the number of bombings of hospitals and medical facilities in the past few weeks. On Saturday Anadan Hospital was hit by an airstrike in northern Aleppo at 11 p.m. Damascus time, this was the last operating hospital in western rural Aleppo, which served a population of 100,000. UOSSM supports the hospital with medicine and supplies. The hospital had four ICU’s and a maternity ward, and served 5000 patients a month with 100 surgeries and 35 cesarean section deliveries.
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Pictures of damage in Anadan Hospital in western rural Aleppo.
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On Friday, July 29, the Syrian Relief (UOSSM affiliate) maternity hospital, supported by Save the Children, in Kafer Takhareem (Idlib) was targeted and put out of service. The hospital provides services to 1300 women and almost 300 deliveries a month. The nearest hospital to this area is 43 miles away, again depriving civilians of access to medical care. At least five civilians were killed and 13 wounded in the attack.
Over the course of two days, Monday July 18, and Tuesday July 19, the Idlib area was pounded with air raids ultimately leading to the destruction of the Healthcare Department deeming it inoperable. Dr. Sawah called this a major disaster saying, “this will affect tens of thousands of people in Idlib as this is the coordinating body among all healthcare facilities inside the province.”
On Tuesday July 19, the M10 Hospital, which handled 25% of patients in Aleppo was bombed and shut down due to the extent of damage, an ambulance was also completely destroyed. On Thursday July 14, another major hospital, the M2 was also bombed and put out of service.
Dr. Aziz, an UOSSM General Surgeon in Aleppo said, "Doctors in Aleppo are overwhelmed and depressed. They are trapped in the hospitals and work 18 hour days, with the closing of M2 the medical system is near its breaking point." The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) says there have been repeated attacks on over 80 medical facilities and 81 medical staff were killed in the first half of 2016.
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Dr. Khaula Sawah is available for interviews, for media inquiries, please contact Najah Allouch: press@uossm.us
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Since 2012, UOSSM has been providing emergency medical relief and healthcare services to the Syrian people affected by the crisis, working primarily inside Syria and with Syrian refugees in Turkey.
- FULLY operates Bab Al-Hawa Hospital; Major Referral hospital in Northern Syria / serves +14,000 patients and conducts +1,300 surgeries per month
- Partially supported 120 hospitals and 200 medical points with $13 M in medications and consumables sufficient to operate 130,000 surgeries
- + 825,000 patients treated at our 9 primary health care centers and 9 mobile clinics with over 1,000,000 consultations
- + 2,872 newborns delivered at the Burnas Maternity Hospital and other UOSSM specialized maternity centers
- + 128,000 people benefitted from our mental health care and psycho-social support centers
- + 9,000 medical staff have been trained and qualified at UOSSM’s training centers
UOSSM USA IS A FEDERALLY TAX-EXEMPT NON-PROFIT 501(C)3 CHARITABLE HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION. TAX EXEMPT. TAX ID 47-3403988
ALL DONATIONS TO UOSSM USA ARE FULLY DEDUCTIBLE FROM YOUR TAXES TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. |
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