Syria's Second Wave Pushes Healthcare System to Edge of Collapse

“COVID is spreading across Northwest Syria at an alarming rate, with over 1,000 cases confirmed daily, the highest ever recorded. Approximately 11% of these newly registered cases reside in overcrowded displacement camps. We are extremely concerned that the combination of low vaccination rates, limited health staff and facilities and continued vaccine hesitancy will result in more suffering for the people of the Northwest. Women are especially at risk, as they face numerous challenges in accessing maternal and emergency obstetric care during the pandemic,” says Sherine Ibrahim, CARE’s Country Director in Turkey.

Earlier this month, over 350,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were delivered across the border from Turkey. This was the largest shipment of vaccines into Northwest Syria to date. Yet, the number of available vaccines continues to be low and vaccine hesitancy persists. As the virus spreads very quickly in the camps, there is fear that cases will continue to rise there. Healthcare workers in the Northwest have witnessed that patients infected with the Delta variant experience severe symptoms, such as fever, severe shortness of breath, and coughing. While this requires advanced medical care, shortages in equipment and staff to respond to the pandemic persist.

After more than a decade of conflict, there is an urgent need to invest in a fast and equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and to raise awareness about vaccine hesitancy in Syria to avert yet another crisis. This will help ensure vital needs of vulnerable populations, particularly those of women and girls, are met, including sexual and reproductive health.

* Name has been changed to protect identity