A doctor was killed today while he was operating on a patient. Dr. Ali Darwish, an orthopedic specialist was operating as the Latamneh Hospital was attacked with a chemical agent. Dr. Darwish was aware of the chemical agent but refused to leave his patient until he succumbed to the fumes and passed out and later died. Please click here to read the full press release. 

There has been an alarming rise in cases of the measles in Ghouta, Syria. According to EWARN, there have been 121 cases in the past two months, compared to 50 cases in the past two years. At the same time five hospitals were attacked in the past nine days. Please click here to read the full press release.

Several areas throughout Syria have witnessed a sharp rise in attacks on medical facilities and civilian areas. As the area of Waar, Homs is at high risk for forced evacuation, Harasta, in Eastern Ghouta in the Damascus suburbs was attacked for the third time in ten days with a suspected chemical agent. The two areas are facing fierce bombardment, while running very low on the capacity to provide medical aid, relief and supplies. Several other area hospitals and medical facilities have been attacked and shut down. Please click here to read the full press release. 

Area hospitals in Daraa have been put out of service, after being targeted directly and indirectly, with others partially operating. Three nurses were wounded in the attacks, several civilians were also killed. The danger to doctors and medical staff in the area has reached a critical level endangering the civilian population.

Please click here to read the full press release. 

Two attacks consistent with the symptoms of chlorine gas exposure were reported by medical staff in the besieged area of Eastern Ghouta last week.

Meanwhile, in other besieged areas throughout Syria, including Waar, Homs, Deir Al Zour, and Madaya,  thousands are suffering immensely with a health crisis as there is little or no access, to basic necessities including food, and medical care. Please click here to read the full press release. 

Kafr Zeta Hospital, in the suburbs of northern Hama, was put out of service today, after being attacked for the past two days. The hospital was indirectly hit on Sunday causing minor damage to the facility. Today, at 2:30p.m. Damascus time, the hospital was directly targeted and attacked with several airstrikes, causing damage to the facility and putting it out of service. A security camera from a nearby home captured the attack. Click here to see the camera footage. Many other area medical facilities were also put out of service in the past week. Please click here to read the full press release. 

UOSSM participated in the evacuation of over 2000 people from Wadi Barada (Damascus suburb) starting January 29 near midnight to January 30 at 3:30 p.m. Damascus time. 

UOSSM and other NGOs treated 65 patients; 14 were in critical condition. All patients were transferred to a triage point at the local area hospital. Please click here to read the full press release. 

The bombing of the Ayn al Feeja water facility in Wadi Barada on December 24 has left over 5 million people without fresh, running water for the past 30 days. Concerns are growing over a health epidemic with a sharp rise in severe gastrointestinal cases, according to a doctor from Ibn Nafis Hospital in Damascus. The price for a box of six water bottles has skyrocketed to 1000 Syrian Layras. Hundreds of thousands are still under siege throughout Syria, with no access to basic human necessities including food, water and medical care. Please click here to read the full press release. 

Thousands of people from the besieged area of Aleppo were evacuated today, the majority of the people were children, women and families. Among the children was Bana Alabed the seven-year-old girl, who caught the attention and hearts of western media, with her Tweets that were retweeted hundreds of thousands of times, providing updates about her situation and the living conditions in the Besieged Eastern Aleppo. Please click here to to read the full press release. 

An estimated 50,000 still remain in the besieged area of Aleppo. As evacuation efforts are delayed many are living in extremely difficult situations. The cold weather has settled in, and there is no electric, water or means to stay warm. Please click here to read the full press release.