A larger outbreak of the coronavirus could quickly create an excessive burden on the Syrian health system, Ahmed Fadel, a representative of the international humanitarian organization "Doctors without borders" (MSF) in the Middle East, told RIA Novosti.
He noted that the aggravation of the situation with COVID-19 may lead to failures in the provision of regular medical services to other patients.
"The vulnerability of the health system in Northern Syria implies that a larger COVID-19 outbreak would soon create an extraordinary burden on existing (medical - ed.) facilities and would lead to the fact that not only people with COVID-19, but all patients with other diseases would receive even less care than now," Fadel said.
He said that there was an acute shortage of general medical supplies in Northern Syria, both for the treatment of COVID-19 infected patients and other patients. Pandemic-related measures have already affected the availability of health care, especially in places where tensions persist, he said.
Other negative factors, according to Fadel, are the difficult economic situation and low vaccination coverage rates in the country, which can trigger outbreaks of diseases such as measles.
The representative of the MSF office added that the situation was particularly difficult in the refugee camps. He also stressed that US sanctions under the "Caesar" law, which came into force in June, further undermine the country's economy.
US President Donald Trump signed the corresponding law, which became known as" Caesar", in late 2019. It came into force on June 1 and includes sanctions affecting almost all areas of the Syrian economy. The sanctions list was expanded on June 17, and 14 people, including the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Asma and his sister Bushra, as well as 21 organizations, were placed under restrictions.
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