Translation by Yusra Ahmed
(Zaman Al Wasl)- Mazen Mubarak, a-10- year Syrian boy died in Mafraq city in Jordan as a result of leukemia, added to the neglect of the humanitarian and relief organizations especially “Oun” organisation, which is supported by United Nations high commissioner for Refugees “UNHCR
Mazen was one of 60 Syrian refugees suffer of this dangerous disease, their cases vary among who need surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or medication, and many of them have no hope of treatment and recovery, but the only common condition among all these patients was the ignorance of them by UNHCR and deprive them of treatment.
Activist Najwa Mohammed has completed with activist from the team of "Volunteers for Syria" a statistical study about Syrians who face death of cancer. She said in a interview with "Zaman Al Wasl" that the study aimed to draw attention to that marginalized group of patients who lack medical care, as their situation is very bad and the cost of treatment is too high.
The activist detailed that 60 patients of cancer live in Jordan, males and females almost equal, while the number of Jordanian patients of cancer reached to 500 in 2011, according to Hussien Cancer centre in Amman, and it is expected to grow by 20% annually.
The activist explained that no one look after those patients or afford for their different types of treatment because they are refugees, and she explained that UNHCR has let those patients down for no clear reason, while in the same time it is interested in patients who needed organ transplant who cost a lot of money.
Another annoying issue is that refugees who have “Eye print” are entitled for the monthly vouchers and medical treatment, while those who do not have the right for monthly support are not entitled to medical care, even if they needed emergency treatment. She explained that evaluating refugees and their entitlement to monthly support is done by field visits by workers, which sometimes effected by personal honesty and devotion to work, and as a result many refugees lose their rights of help and support.
Activist “Mohammed” added that what worsens the conditions of cancer patients is that they discover the disease when it reaches to advanced stage, because they cannot afford for diagnostic and screening test, as for example the cost of “biopsy” is 300 Jordanian Dinar, but many patients cannot afford it.
The activist mentioned that some patients even were not able to afford the cost of 100 Jordanian Dinars, and UNHCR refused to cover that cost as well.
Activist Ferial Al-Mohammad – from the team “volunteers for Syria” sadly mentioned that they were not able to help that category of patients and all they were able to do helping in doing two biopsies, and buying medication for one patient.
The activist added that no one support those patients, even UNHCR turns the blind eye to their suffering, and does not take in consideration in the spending, as for example the organisation has distributed the winter aid for eligible refugees, which was high enough to surprise receiver, in the same time they forgot patients.
Activist Ferial suggested that if that increase for aid was allocated to treating patients of cancer, or if each humanitarian organisation covered treatment of few patients, they might not reach to grade 3 or grade 4 of cancer, and many of them would receive their treatment.
(Zaman Al Wasl)- Mazen Mubarak, a-10- year Syrian boy died in Mafraq city in Jordan as a result of leukemia, added to the neglect of the humanitarian and relief organizations especially “Oun” organisation, which is supported by United Nations high commissioner for Refugees “UNHCR
Mazen was one of 60 Syrian refugees suffer of this dangerous disease, their cases vary among who need surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or medication, and many of them have no hope of treatment and recovery, but the only common condition among all these patients was the ignorance of them by UNHCR and deprive them of treatment.
Activist Najwa Mohammed has completed with activist from the team of "Volunteers for Syria" a statistical study about Syrians who face death of cancer. She said in a interview with "Zaman Al Wasl" that the study aimed to draw attention to that marginalized group of patients who lack medical care, as their situation is very bad and the cost of treatment is too high.
The activist detailed that 60 patients of cancer live in Jordan, males and females almost equal, while the number of Jordanian patients of cancer reached to 500 in 2011, according to Hussien Cancer centre in Amman, and it is expected to grow by 20% annually.
The activist explained that no one look after those patients or afford for their different types of treatment because they are refugees, and she explained that UNHCR has let those patients down for no clear reason, while in the same time it is interested in patients who needed organ transplant who cost a lot of money.
Another annoying issue is that refugees who have “Eye print” are entitled for the monthly vouchers and medical treatment, while those who do not have the right for monthly support are not entitled to medical care, even if they needed emergency treatment. She explained that evaluating refugees and their entitlement to monthly support is done by field visits by workers, which sometimes effected by personal honesty and devotion to work, and as a result many refugees lose their rights of help and support.
Activist “Mohammed” added that what worsens the conditions of cancer patients is that they discover the disease when it reaches to advanced stage, because they cannot afford for diagnostic and screening test, as for example the cost of “biopsy” is 300 Jordanian Dinar, but many patients cannot afford it.
The activist mentioned that some patients even were not able to afford the cost of 100 Jordanian Dinars, and UNHCR refused to cover that cost as well.
Activist Ferial Al-Mohammad – from the team “volunteers for Syria” sadly mentioned that they were not able to help that category of patients and all they were able to do helping in doing two biopsies, and buying medication for one patient.
The activist added that no one support those patients, even UNHCR turns the blind eye to their suffering, and does not take in consideration in the spending, as for example the organisation has distributed the winter aid for eligible refugees, which was high enough to surprise receiver, in the same time they forgot patients.
Activist Ferial suggested that if that increase for aid was allocated to treating patients of cancer, or if each humanitarian organisation covered treatment of few patients, they might not reach to grade 3 or grade 4 of cancer, and many of them would receive their treatment.
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