(Zaman Al Wasl )- The United Nations launched last December an emergency response plan to support Syrian refugees and host countries, during the years 2019-2020, by about US $ 5.5 billion, according to the UNHCR.
These funds are monitored to meet the basic needs of refugees such as food, medicines and education, but apparently these billions can’t treat a few patients among all.
Despite the Syrians registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Egypt continuing complaints, the UNHCR remains indifferent to their suffering, especially to the medical staff of chronic diseases, although millions gather on behalf of the Syrians.
Ebtissam, a Syrian refugee living in Egypt, talks about her mother-in-law whom already registered with the UNHCR and had lately a bad kind of cancer that needed urgent surgery.
"We called the UNHCR and they told us to contact the organization of Save the Children. My husband called them to tell them that their contract with UNHCR was over. My husband called the UNHCR several times without an answer, and finally we were given Caritas Egypt organization number as the medical partner of the UNHCR. They told us that they did not cover the cancer patients and it ended up selling all we had until our house furniture to cover the costs of the operation and the chemotherapy. Debts had overwhelmed my husband to secure his mother's treatment and there’s no assistant to us” said Ebtissam.
Ahmed, a young Syrian volunteer working in Egypt, says that the previous year witnessed a significant decline in the commission’s legal, medical and health services. He pointed that dozens of cases need help and does not find the Commission’s help.
"I know many urgent and very difficult medical cases with no respond. Even some of the Syrian institutions operating in Egypt have turned into business and are getting high wages for their services," he said.
Appeals on social media
Over the past two days, many Syrian have posted on social media calling upon the UNHCR to intervene on behalf the patients suffering from chronic disease whom need monthly medicines from the UNHCR partner organization.
One of the posts was saying "We ask the Commission to take the necessary measures with Caritas for its failure to distribute medicines to chronic patients and for neglect and indifference, respond to the callers with thanks".
After that, dozens of comments were made to Syrian patients complaining about the organization’s maltreatment.
Egyptian institution helps patients
After an article by Zaman al-Wasl on the deteriorating medical situation of the Syrian refugees, we were contacted by a Syrian activist in Egypt who told us about an Egyptian institution called "Mersal" , related to the Egyptian Ministry of Solidarity, provides only medical assistance to patients of all nationalities, including the Syrians.
This means that the institution do not require that the patients are beneficial of the yellow card and whether they need an emergency or intensive care or custody, regardless of nationality and religion. Also, it is possible to help patients residing outside Egypt and need surgery can be conducted in Egypt.
The institution sends a researcher to evaluate the patient’s social status, afterwards begin to communicate with him and follow-up treatment Step by step until he receives the necessary treatment, and bear all costs since entering the hospital.
Zaman Al Wasl
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