Syria: a healthcare system on the brink of collapse

Stone-Brown, Keir

doi:10.1136/bmj.f7375

Cited by 35 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…1,7 According to the WHO, the Syrian crisis has already cost more than 115,000 lives with more than 575,000 injured people. 8 Commonly, the impact of violence on health conflicts is greater than the injuries directly attributable to war. 4 Humanitarian organizations have reported lack of nutrition, disastrous hygienic conditions, and insufficient medical care in refugee camps.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Refugees' Health

Mûller

Khamis²,

Srivastava

et al. 2018

Semin Neurol

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According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 65.6 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide. Several factors have a major influence on asylum seekers' health; so, their health profile is markedly different from that of the population in the country of asylum. The aim of this study is to review the major issues physicians need to be aware of when treating asylum seekers, with a special focus on the neurological problems of asylum seekers and refugees. The major impact factors on refugees' health are linked to experiences and exposure (1) in the country of origin, (2) in refugee camps and en route to Europe, and (3) in the process of immigration into the host country and living in European asylum centers. Refugees' health is also affected by psychological problems and by infectious diseases. Additionally, chronic diseases resulting in polymorbidity, cancer, and neurological diseases are easy to overlook and demand special attention. Neurological injuries/diseases may be traumatic (e.g., spinal cord injuries), posttraumatic (e.g., chronic pain syndromes), the result of cerebral infections, or the consequences of starvation (e.g., epilepsy, ataxia, and paraesthesia). The main challenges for physicians are lack of awareness of the asylum seekers' specific health care problems, language and intercultural communication problems, as well as access and integration of asylum seekers into the health care system. The health issues of asylum seekers are manifold and challenging to physicians. Awareness of these conditions is mandatory to ensure good clinical practice for this patient population, which has a huge burden in chronic, infectious, mental, and neurological diseases.

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confidence: 99%

Understanding Refugees' Health

Mûller

Khamis²,

Srivastava

et al. 2018

Semin Neurol

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“…According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 40% of Syria's ambulances are destroyed and 57% of public hospitals are severely damaged, with 37% remaining out of service [6]. At least 160 doctors have been killed and hundreds jailed, leading to the emigration of an estimated 80,000 doctors [4]. The 90% of pharmaceutical needs that were locally produced prior to the conflict has now been reduced to only 10%, contributing to significant drug shortages in essential medications [1].…”

Section: The War On Health Carementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measles, hepatitis A, leishmaniasis, poliomyelitis, meningitis, and scabies have spread through vulnerable populations in Syria and refugee camps in neighboring countries, creating a health crisis that will require immense resources to address (Table 1) [3]. Concurrently, the shattered medical infrastructure, the exodus of health care workers, and the deterioration of immunization programs have created a dangerous vacuum in essential health care provision [4]. In the context of Syria's devastated health care infrastructure, we will discuss the spread of infectious diseases, particularly poliomyelitis, measles, and cutaneous leishmaniasis, among Syrian civilians, refugees, and citizens of neighboring countries, to examine what is nothing short of a regional, and arguably global, public health emergency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

War and Infectious Diseases: Challenges of the Syrian Civil War

2014

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“…The resurgence of poliomyelitis and measles among populations affected by conflict may be directly attributed to a failure of vaccination programmes where coverage is as low as 45% as a result of the disruption of essential health services:22 23 “The low immunization rates among those living in and fleeing from conflict zones, endangers the lives of people across the entire region. The recent outbreak of polio in Syria led to its resurgence in Iraq, which had been free of the disease for 14 years.…”

Section: Global Health Problem Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Complications of dysgerminoma: meeting the health needs of patients in conflict zones

Hayari

Федоренко

et al. 2017

BMJ Case Reports

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A symptom of prolonged conflict is the destruction of infrastructure and healthcare systems. While the need for acute trauma services is obvious in conflict zones, patients with chronic diseases also require care. This report describes the clinical course of a young teenage girl with a large mid pelvic tumour originating from the left ovary and reaching the umbilicus. She presented with acute abdominal pain and underwent surgery in a healthcare facility within a conflict zone. She was then transferred to a neighbouring country for continuing care. The tumour is malignant. After further surgery, she required chemotherapy and will need ongoing surveillance. She has since returned to her home country. It is doubtful that she will be able to access all the care she needs. We describe her healthcare needs and discuss the disastrous effects of conflict on meeting the health needs of civilian populations in war zones.

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Syria: a healthcare system on the brink of collapse

Cited by 35 publications

References 2 publications

Understanding Refugees' Health

Understanding Refugees' Health

War and Infectious Diseases: Challenges of the Syrian Civil War

Complications of dysgerminoma: meeting the health needs of patients in conflict zones

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