Tragically, since our last blogpost, Cholera has continued to spread across Syria. Since August, the World Health Organization has recorded 24,614 infections and 81 deaths, but this number threatens to continue growing.
Spread by contaminated water and food, the disease is capable of taking lives in hours without the correct healthcare. It is this that our partner, SAMS, is working so hard to prevent.
We are so proud to be able to work closely with SAMS and support their life-saving work. We also feel it is so important for you, our donors, to understand the challenges they are facing and why this work is so vital. Responding to a cholera outbreak is exhausting, and labour and resource intensive. It requires doctors and nurses to prepare places for the isolation and treatment of patients, order more medicines and put into place infection control procedures.
Our SAMS doctors have told us they’re concerned about securing enough Oral Rehydration Sachets (ORS), which are vital for combatting cholera. Much like the peak waves of COVID here, they are very aware that if the number of cases continue to increase, there will be a serious strain on resources and the current provisions may not be sufficient for curing all cases.
Although this may seem like a desperate, hopeless situation, there is something we can do. Each ORS costs only $0.26, and we have already purchased 16,000.
The SAMS Primary Health Clinic we fund serves a community of 50,000 who have no access to alternative health services. In the isolated area of Tel Abyad, it provides a lifeline by bridging the gap between health services and vulnerable groups. The presence of the Primary Health Clinic is key to ensure that the outbreak is dealt with early and quickly. SAMS has been incredible in this, co-ordinating training across all their facilities, including 244 health staff to teach them how to manage cases and complications. Their commitment, proactiveness, and dedication continues to inspire us every day.
When asked his dream for his patients, one SAMS doctor told us he “wishes them a speedy recovery, health and a life without diseases, and to always find a support health facility to follow up on his health condition.” In the UK, we accept these services as a given, without thinking that, for so many around the world, this is so far from reality. We want to help this doctor achieve his dream, but we can only do that with your help. Please Donate Here.
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