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Medical Aid Sent to Starving Syrian Town of Madaya Medical Aid Sent to Starving Syrian Town of Madaya
(35 minutes later)
GENEVA — Alarmed by starvation in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya, aid agencies sent a mobile medical clinic there on Friday and planned to increase medical support.GENEVA — Alarmed by starvation in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya, aid agencies sent a mobile medical clinic there on Friday and planned to increase medical support.
The aid workers returned late Thursday from a second relief mission to the town this week, and were horrified after witnessing the death of a 16-year-old boy at a makeshift health clinic, presumably from hunger.The aid workers returned late Thursday from a second relief mission to the town this week, and were horrified after witnessing the death of a 16-year-old boy at a makeshift health clinic, presumably from hunger.
“They were in the town for seven hours,” said Christophe Boulierac, a Geneva-based spokesman for the United Nations’ children’s agency, Unicef. “He died in front of them.”“They were in the town for seven hours,” said Christophe Boulierac, a Geneva-based spokesman for the United Nations’ children’s agency, Unicef. “He died in front of them.”
Among 10 older children the team examined, it also saw a 17-year-old boy whose condition was life-threatening and who needed medical evacuation.
A local relief committee that interacts with aid agencies reported that 32 people had died from hunger in the past month, Bettina Luescher, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, told reporters in Geneva. She noted that it was not possible to independently confirm that figure.A local relief committee that interacts with aid agencies reported that 32 people had died from hunger in the past month, Bettina Luescher, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, told reporters in Geneva. She noted that it was not possible to independently confirm that figure.
Health workers examined 25 children under age 5 and found 22 of them suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition, Mr. Boulierac said. World Health Organization nutritionists and experts examined an additional 387 people, but the results of their assessment were not immediately available.Health workers examined 25 children under age 5 and found 22 of them suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition, Mr. Boulierac said. World Health Organization nutritionists and experts examined an additional 387 people, but the results of their assessment were not immediately available.
Elizabeth Hoff, the World Health Organization’s representative in Syria, said by telephone that the clearance for the mobile health clinic was “a great step forward.” The two teams reaching Madaya this week found that the 40,000 inhabitants were getting health care from three medical staff members with limited training and experience and almost no resources. The single health center in Madaya operates out of a basement room with no beds and almost no medicines; patients lay or sat on the floor. Elizabeth Hoff, the World Health Organization’s representative in Syria, said by telephone that the clearance for the mobile health clinic was “a great step forward.” The two teams reaching Madaya this week found that the 40,000 inhabitants were getting health care from two doctors and two medical workers with limited training and almost no resources. The single health center in Madaya operates out of a basement room with no beds and almost no medicines; patients lay or sat on the floor.
“The people we met in Madaya were exhausted and extremely frail,” Unicef’s representative in Damascus, Hanaa Singer, said in a statement. “Doctors were emotionally distressed and mentally drained, working around the clock with very limited resources.
“It is simply unacceptable that this is happening in the 21st century.”
Aid agencies were preparing to begin a program to vaccinate children, Ms. Hoff said, and United Nations officials said another convoy of trucks with additional food, medicine and other supplies was expected to leave in the coming days.Aid agencies were preparing to begin a program to vaccinate children, Ms. Hoff said, and United Nations officials said another convoy of trucks with additional food, medicine and other supplies was expected to leave in the coming days.
The emaciated and weakened state of many children and residents of Madaya, under siege for most of the past six months, has only deepened concern over the plight of about 400,000 people the United Nations believes are trapped in 14 other besieged areas in Syria. Many have been cut off from any help for much longer periods than Madaya has been, sometimes for years.The emaciated and weakened state of many children and residents of Madaya, under siege for most of the past six months, has only deepened concern over the plight of about 400,000 people the United Nations believes are trapped in 14 other besieged areas in Syria. Many have been cut off from any help for much longer periods than Madaya has been, sometimes for years.
“The access granted for limited deliveries of humanitarian supplies is not enough,” Unicef and the W.H.O. said in a joint statement, calling for the immediate lifting of all sieges, delivery of medical and nutritional therapeutic care, and evacuation of the wounded and sick.“The access granted for limited deliveries of humanitarian supplies is not enough,” Unicef and the W.H.O. said in a joint statement, calling for the immediate lifting of all sieges, delivery of medical and nutritional therapeutic care, and evacuation of the wounded and sick.