In a recent press briefing, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesman highlighted a critical situation in Syria, where nearly 16 million individuals are in dire need of humanitarian health support. The country’s health infrastructure, already severely compromised, is battling to serve its population amidst persistent threats from explosive remnants of war (ERWs) which have resulted in over 1,000 casualties since November.
Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric noted that these ERWs pose ongoing dangers to civilians, especially those engaged in agricultural activities, with children accounting for nearly one-third of the casualties. This has been compounded by severe shortages of essential medicines and unaffordable treatment costs. Damage to infrastructure and lack of funding are further complicating the humanitarian response to the crisis.
Despite these challenges, there has been a significant increase in cross-border aid deliveries this year. Reports indicate that 1,185 aid trucks have crossed from Türkiye into Syria, a marked increase that has enabled the UN and its partners to reach 2.5 million individuals monthly. Nonetheless, the demand for aid continues to outpace supply, with the humanitarian response plan needing $2 billion to adequately support the vulnerable population until the end of June, although it has only secured less than $236 million in funding to date.
The operational capacity within Syria remains limited, with just 59 percent of hospitals and 46 percent of primary healthcare centers fully functional. In addition to the shortage of medicine and rising healthcare costs, the overcrowding of shelters is heightening the risk of disease outbreaks. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) underscores the pressing need for increased international support to address the removal of explosives, expand risk education, and aid survivors.