Washington DC- On January 29 at 11:30 a.m. Damascus time, The Owdai Hospital (also known as Al Ihsan Hospital) in Saraqeb, Idlib was hit by two airstrikes, killing five people, including one child and two women, and injuring six medical staff and several other patients. The hospital was severely damaged and put out of service. The 18-bed hospital was the only public hospital in the Saraqeb district. It served a population of 50,000 and performed 3,800 consultations month. The same hospital was attacked on January 20, and 21, causing moderate damage to the facility. Idlib Healthcare Authorities have declared that the city of Saraqeb is in a state of medical emergency.
Violence and attacks have increased dramatically since the last week in December, with several attacks on hospitals and medical facilities. There have been at least 22 medical facilities attacked in the past few weeks, most by airstrikes. Since the beginning of 2018, At least 375 civilians have been killed. In the past four weeks there has been napalm, phosphorous and chlorine gas attacks reported on civilians in Easten Ghouta, Idlib and Hama. Yesterday, there were reports of a napalm attacks in Idlib and Ghouta. On January 22, Eastern Ghouta was attacked with a chemical weapon, suspected to be chlorine gas, injuring 21 people.
Dr Ghanem Tayara, UOSSM International Chairman and Bristol GP said, “The deliberate targeting of hospitals is a war crime which has been going on for far too long. Our deepest condolences are with the victims of Al Ihsan Hospital Airstrike. Patients should not enter a hospital thinking they won’t come out. Doctors and nurses should not be terrified to go into work each day. When did these atrocities become acceptable? These attacks are sickening and action must be taken immediately to stop them!”
What you can do:
1) Tweet/ Post on Facebook:
There have been 22 medical facility bombings in 35 days. Investigate. Prosecute. Stop it. @UN @EmmanuelMacron @Theresa_may @RealDonaldTrump @JustinTrudeau #Syria #NotATarget
2) Donate to UOSSM to help rebuild hospitals and support medical facilities in Syria:
Medical Facility Attacks:
January 21, 2018
The Owdai Hospital in Saraqeb was impacted by an airstrike. The facility was partially damaged.
January 20, 2018
A paramedic was killed in a Ghouta as he was caring for patients. A frist responder from Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) was killed by an attack in Douma, Ghouta, and the Civil Defense Center in Saraqeb was destroyed.
January 18, 2018
A blood bank in Saraqib was targeted by airstrikes which resulted in catastrophic damage. The facility is out of service. The blood bank provided services to several hospitals and had provided services to at least 700 patients a month. In addition, the women’s department in the Mental Health Hospital in Azaaz was attacked causing several injuries.
January 8, 2018
At 3:35 pm, a surgical hospital in Kafr Zeita, Hama was hit by an airstrike. There were no casualties and the facility went out of service. The facility provides 929 consultations, 78 admissions, 36 major surgeries and 35 war related trauma cases.
January 8, 2018
At 3:20 AM, Dr. Ahmad Al- Shehada, his wife and mother in law were killed in an air strike in Jarjanaz, Idlib. His sister and 4 children were injured.
January 7, 2018
The Al Teh Primary healthcare center was hit by an airstrike and went out of service.
January 7, 2018
At 6:45 am, the Abo Duhwre health care facility in idlib was impacted by an explosion and suffered extensive structural damage. One doctor was injured and the facility went out of service.
January 6, 2018
At 12:00 am, A medical center in Harasta, Rural Damascus was impacted by an airstrike and suffered extensive structural damage. The facility went out of service. The facility provided an average of 4,600 consultations.
January 5, 2018
The Al Magara hospital in Kafr Zeita, Hama was hit by airstrikes and went out of service.
January 5, 2018
At 7:50 am, a primary health care facility in Heish, Idilib was impacted by an airstrike resulting in structural damage. The facility went out of service. The facility provides an average of 5,700 consultations and 27 deliveries.
January 4, 2018
At 12:00 am, A paramedic was injured by artillery shells in Arbin, Rural Damascus
January 3, 2018
At 11:30 am, for the third time within a week, the Al Salam maternity and pediatric hospital in Maarrat Al Numan, Idlib, was impacted by an airstrike resulting in structural damage and killing at least 1 patient in addition to injuring many more. Dr. Bashar Yousef, the only pediatric doctor at the hospital and a supervisor of the intensive care unit, was wounded. The facility was evacuated and went out of service. The hospital is the only maternity hospital in Maarrat Al Numan serving a population of roughly 500,000 and providing an average of 8,200 consultations monthly, had 915 admissions, 12 major surgeries, 295 deliveries and 225 C-sections.
January 2, 2018
At 5 pm, The Al Magara Cave Hospital (surgical) in Kafr Zeita, Hama,
was impacted by 3 airstrikes. The attack resulted in structural damage. No casualties were reported and the facility went out of service. The surgical hospital provides services to a catchment area of 50,000 a month, with 7,000 monthly beneficiaries, and provides 150 surgeries a month. UOSSM supported the emergency department of the hospital.
December 31, 2017
At 2:30 pm, A primary health care center in Haratsa in (Eastern Ghouta), Rural Damascus, was impacted by an airstrike. The attack resulted in minor structural damage. 2 nurses were injured and the facility remained open.
December 31, 2017
At 12:55 pm, the Al Salam hospital in Maarrat Al Numan, Idlib, was impacted by an airstrike resulting in minor structural damages. The facility remained open.
December 30, 2017
At 3:25 pm, a medical warehouse in Maarrat Al Numan, Idlib, was impacted by barrel bombs resulting in structural damage and the destruction of medical
supplies, equipment and medicines. There were no injuries or casualties and the facility went out of service.
December 30, 2017
A paramedic working for a hospital in Eastern Ghouta was killed as a result of artillery shelling in Harasta.
December 29, 2017
At 10:10 pm, a hospital in Daraa was impacted by artillery shelling. The attack resulted in minor structural damages and damaged one medical vehicle. No casualties were reported and the facility remains open.
December 28, 2017
At 10:30 am, a primary health care center in Maarrat Al Numan, Idlib was impacted by a nearby barrel bomb, which destroyed several windows and doors. The facility was put out of service. One woman was killed during the attack and 3 children were injured.
December 28, 2017
At 2:10 PM, a hospital in Kafr Zeita in Hama was impacted by an air strike. The facility had minor damage and no casualties, and remained open.
The hospital provided an average of: 929 consultations, 78 admissions, 36 surgeries and 35 war related trauma cases per month.
December 26, 2017
At 11:40 am, a hospital in Kafr Zeita in Hama was impacted by an airstrike. The attack caused minor damage to the building and no casualties were reported. The facility went temporarily out of service. The hospital provided an average of: 860 consultations, 90 admissions, 30 major surgeries and 19 war related trauma cases per month.
December 26, 2017
At 12:50 pm, a hospital in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib was attacked by an air strike. The attack resulted in minor structural damages to the facility. No casualties were reported and the facility went out of service. The hospital provided an average of: 736 consultations, 34 admissions, 39 major surgeries and 8 war related trauma cases per month.
