Northern Syria’s Last Children’s Hospital On Brink Of Collapse As Funding Runs Out.
The world’s first crowdfunded hospital, Hope Hospital, may have to close its doors due to lack of funding.
In 2016, a crowdfunding campaign re-built the destroyed Aleppo children’s hospital, in the relative safety of northern Syria.
A year since opening, Hope Hospital has treated over 16,300 children, provided over 47,600 consultations and tackled 444 emergencies.
Hope Hospital has been treating children recently evacuated from Douma, who were suffering from extreme malnutrition.
CanDo Founder Dr Rola Hallam, who has worked in besieged areas of Syria talked in depth about the remarkable work of local humanitarian heroes during her recent TED Talk, focusing on the work of the Independent Doctors Association (IDA) who run Hope Hospital.
Dr Hallam has said “people survive in crisis because of the remarkable work of the people in crisis themselves”.
With the border into Turkey closed, where most people fled, Hope Hospital provides a glimmer of salvation.
Press Release – CanDo, a UK-based social enterprise led by British/Syrian anaesthetist Dr. Rola Hallam has pioneered a direct digital lifeline, a humanitarian aid crowdfunding platform, which connects people who want to help, with the local humanitarians saving lives. In 2016, in partnership with the Independent Doctors Association (IDA) who ran the destroyed children’s hospital in Aleppo, along with the support of a number of humanitarian aid organisations, a CanDo campaign raised £245,000 to rebuild the hospital in a safer part of Syria. This herculean effort is now hanging in the balance.
A vital lifeline for internally displaced people
The hospital has opened a dedicated maternity and malnutrition unit and serves a population of 170,000 people, of which 32% are under the age of 12. These people include local residents, returnees and internally displaced people (IDPs).
But these stats do not reflect the latest influx of IDPs who have been forced to evacuate Douma and other areas of Syria in recent months. Thousands of people who have been living under siege for years, subjected to barrel bombs and chemical weapons, are seeking safety in northern Syria. As the only specialist children’s facility for 35 miles to the east and 65 miles to the west, Hope Hospital is a rare refuge for families in urgent need.
In the last 20 days, staff having been providing in-patient, out-patient, vaccination and nutrition services to people who have been evacuated from Douma.
Saving young lives
10-month old Hiba was rushed to Hope Hospital from northern Aleppo suffering from dehydration, diarrhoea and malnutrition. During her short life, she has already lost her dad, but due to the global community pulling together to build Hope Hospital, the doctors could prevent any further unnecessary suffering. Habibah, another young girl, who has lost her brother and had been living in a cramped bomb shelter for days, needed urgent care for severe acute malnutrition when she arrived at the hospital from Douma. In both cases, neither girl would have survived if it wasn’t for Hope Hospital.
Targeting of healthcare
492 attacks have been made on medical facilities in Syria during the course of the war. Hope Hospital provides a flickering candle light in an ocean of darkness for those in the most desperate need.
Recent quotes from Head Doctor Hatem at Hope Hospital
“I just got back from a home visit of 5-month old twins. Born at 34 weeks they were struggling for their lives and needed 7 days of intensive care, they are now healthy and in their mother’s arms. I don’t allow myself to think about the closure of Hope Hospital. It would be catastrophic.”
“Losing Hope Hospital will lead to the unnecessary death of hundreds of children.”
Further info
The Independent Doctors Association (IDA) in partnership with CanDo, have launched a new emergency crowdfunding campaign — #KeepTheLightOfHope — urging people to give what they can to help raise £68,000 to fund Hope Hospital for two more months.
Find out more about #KeepTheLightOfHope here: https://www.candoaction.org/ida/light-hope
Learn more about CanDo: www.candoaction.org
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