​​​​​​​ Siege of Damascus government threatens lives of more than 25,000 children in al-Shahba

 With the onset of winter, a large number of children were affected by the lack of medicines and heating fuel due to the suffocating siege on the region, by a wave of severe seasonal diseases. They were more affected by infection with the respiratory syncytial virus RSV, influenza, colds, sore throat, gastroenteritis, in addition to cardiac deformity.  This is due to the extreme cold, unhealthy diet and lack of care, not to mention the burning of plastic materials while cooking food and heating water.

 In the past few days, Afrin Hospital in al-Shahba canton witnessed an increase in cases of bronchiolitis in young children, amid the lack of medicines and medical supplies in the hospital and medical centers, due to the siege and arbitrary measures imposed by the Damascus government on the canton.

 In this regard, the doctor in the pediatric department at Afrin Hospital (YD), who refused to reveal her name for fear of pressure from the Damascus government, confirmed that children in al-Shahba canton suffer throughout the year from three severe waves of bronchiolitis and their condition worsens in winter, spring and summer.

 Doctor Y.D. confirmed that about 150 children visit Afrin Hospital daily, due to seasonal diseases, which have worsened with the unjust siege imposed by the Damascus government, and the lack of heating facilities.

 In her speech, she stressed that the lives of children throughout al-Shahba canton are at risk due to the intransigence of the Damascus government in its exclusionary policies in the region, calling for an end to those policies by the international community to lift the siege.

 According to the statistics of the Social Affairs Authority of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Afrin region, the number of displaced and indigenous children in al-Shahba canton is more than 25,000, who live in the 5 camps and semi-destroyed houses.

 In addition, two children lost their lives as a result of the severe cold in the past few days in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo, which was besieged by the Damascus government forces in the city of Aleppo.

 It is worth noting that 4 children under the age of 10 lost their lives last year, due to the unjust siege imposed on al-Shahba canton, and the ambulances of Afrin Hospital were not allowed to transport pediatric patients to hospitals in the city of Aleppo.

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 ANHA