"Our hospital was bombed to the ground. So we'll bring the hospital to the people."
On Sunday 5th May, the eve of Ramadan, our hospital in Kafr Nobol, Idlib was destroyed in a targeted attack killing two patients and injuring 10s more. The hospital was operating as an underground (‘Cave’) hospital after the overground hospital above it was wiped out by airstrikes in 2018. We hoped it would be safe underground. It was decimated.
As the fighting intensifies, the need for hospital services grows ever more acute – as IDPs - people forced abandoned their homes quickly and in terror to avoid the attacks – move into the area.
Many are now living without shelter or crammed into community buildings, without access to adequate care. Among those who have fled are pregnant women, newborns, patients requiring treatment of chronic conditions, and those with fresh wounds sustained as innocent bystanders to the conflict they are fleeing.
Mobile clinics are a last resort, used only when all other means of providing healthcare are exhausted. The situation in Idlib is beyond the last resort. With our hospital and several others destroyed and the number of people needing treatment rising, they are our best option for providing essential medical services..
Unfortunately this type of situation is not new to us. HiHFAD have run mobile clinics in extreme conditions before. We can get vehicles and teams together quickly, reaching people and providing access to healthcare by meeting people where they are.
Our doctors and nurses will diagnose patients, treat those we can and refer patients with severe needs to the closest hospitals still standing. Our midwives will support pregnant women and new mothers at this most crucial time.
"Nothing will stop us providing essential medical services to the civilian[s]… who have already suffered so much during the past eight years of war” - Fadi Al-Dairi, Syria country director
What you need to know
What are mobile clinics and why use them?:
You can watch our video showing the difference a mobile clinic can make to people living in camps.
Our funding target:
With over 152,000 newly displaced people to support, we are working to provide aid to as many people as we possibly can with your generous support. The situation on the ground will change day to day and as such we will keep the funding above our initial target if the global community is willing to support our partners' work. Should we raise more money than is needed for this emergency appeal, we will use ours and our partners’ expertise to discern how to reallocate any additional funds where it is needed most. In this case, contributors will be informed where this money is being spent and why.
Distribution of funds:
Due to the urgency, CanDo has agreed to release funds directly to partners for the specific emergency on a weekly basis based on assessment of needs.
How else can I help:
There are many ways you can use your voice to make a difference:
Convince two other people to support the campaign and you’ll treble your impact
Share our message and our campaign to #Rise4Idlib tagging journalists, media outlets and socially-conscious celebrities to help raise awareness of the atrocities happening and the need for the international community to respond
Comments
Thank you for your work, you are in my prayers. God bless you!
You're doing a great job in a bad situation. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the amazing response so far. In a little over a week, we have reached over 68% of our target, more than £20,000, and have mobile clinics operating already.
You are showing the people of Idlib that they have not been forgotten and that help is at hand. Over the past 20 days, 19 medical facilities have been bombed which has left thousands without critical services. Whilst many wait in vain for international powers to respond, we have taken matters into our own hands by taking our clinic services to those who need it most!
This week, the clinic has been operating in Deir Hassan camp and has treated over 500 individuals. We have also had a positive response to the reproductive health clinic we are providing alongside and within the mobile clinic, with over 60 visits this week.
We cannot thank you enough for the support you are offering Syrian communities caught up in the conflict, and we really hope that we will reach our goal with just under 2 weeks to go. - the Hand in Hand team
Can't make Mary Kenny's fundraiser but it's done the trick by prompting Tana Wollen and I to each support this campaign.
Governments of the world’s elf may have neglected you but the people of the world will not.
Couldn’t make Mary Kenny’s fundraiser so very happy to make a direct donation
Wishing the wonderful staff at hand in hand all the best during the challenging time x
Thank you so much for the brave work you're doing. You are true heroes and I'm proud to support you