A ray of hope amid of adversity
UNICEF deploys mobile clinics to help vulnerable families protect their children from diseases and malnutrition in eastern Syria
Suwaidan Shamiya, rural Deir ez zor, Syria, 22 November 2023: “Families rely on us to take care of their children’s health. We are the only medical team who reaches this area,” Mara’e, 46, paediatrician with a UNICEF-supported mobile clinic in Suwaidan Shamiya village in Deir ez zor governorate, explained.
“We announce our visits to the village through community leaders, the pharmacist, and the mosque there to make sure families get to their appointments and come to receive help,” Mara’e added.
The UNICEF- supported mobile clinic visits the village regularly to ensure families are provided basic health and nutrition services. The mobile team reaches mothers and children with primary health care support including consultations, medical referrals, screening and treating of malnutrition cases, in addition to awareness sessions for mothers on good infant and young child feeding practices. The mobile team serves three communities that include 17,000 people in the village and the surrounding villages as well.
“I came today to check on my twin sons because I noticed they both lost weight. I believe if their health is not good, their growth might be at risk,” said Maha, 39, mother of 1- year- old twins Nour and Khattab, during her visit to the UNICEF-supported mobile clinic, in Suwaidan Shamiya village. Maha’s children were both diagnosed with acute malnutrition. In the clinic, they received ready-to-use therapeutic food and have a follow up visit in two weeks to continue their treatment.
“This remote area has been impacted by an ongoing conflict. It received many displaced families coming from different sides of the governorate. Mobile clinics play a crucial role in protecting people’s health in such situations. We know that families’ purchasing power is limited. They’d prioritize buying basics, such as food, for their children over transportation fees to visit a medical clinic in the city. Due to many reasons, including skyrocketing food prices, low rates of breastfeeding and early marriage among young girls, malnutrition rates in this area are soaring.”
“We cannot afford healthcare costs,” said Ammouna, 29, mother of 2-year-old Fatima. She brought her daughter for a checkup as she had fever and trouble breathing.
“My baby has diarrhoea; I came to follow up on his treatment that started two weeks ago. Also, I will visit the gynaecologist to check on myself,” said Amena, 26, a mother of 1- year- old Mohamad. “I do not want my children to get sick. I cannot afford paying for their medical treatment,” she added. “We receive good and free-of-charge medical care here. Thanks to the physician, he provided Mohamad with the needed medication. He is better, and his appetite has improved,” Amena added.
Between January and November 2023, UNICEF reached some 1.5 million children and nearly 167,000 women across Syria with primary healthcare services. Over 1 million children and more than 970,000 women were reached with nutrition services. This support was provided through 54 mobile clinics and 78 fixed clinics in the country.
This assistance was possible because of contributions from the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA/USAID), United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, UNICEF’s Global Humanitarian Thematic Fund, Governments of Japan, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and Denmark, the German Federal Foreign Office, the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, the Swiss Committee for UNICEF, and the German Committee for UNICEF.
