Situation updates: Turkey and northern Syria: Syrian refugee response in Turkey, February 2017

The Turkey office of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe serves people in northern Syria as well as Syrian refugees living in Turkey. www.euro.who.int A doctor examines a Syrian refugee girl at a health centre for refugees in Turkey near the Syrian border. Photo: WHO/Sheahen Syrian refugee response in Turkey February 2017 update Highlights As part of the whole-of-Syria approach, the WHO Country Office in Turkey and its field office in Gaziantep delivered the following support. Primary care: In February, the first groups of Syrian physicians and nurses completed WHO- supported adaptation courses in 7 of the centres where Turkey provides health services for refugees (Migrant Health Centres, or Göçmen Sağlığı Merkezi in Turkish). Translators/patient guides learn medical terms in Turkish and Arabic as well as crowd management, patient rights and privacy, and where to refer Syrian patients when they arrive at government facilities for care. When Syrian health workers successfully complete their on-the-job training, they are eligible for employment in Turkey’s public health facilities providing services for refugees. More than 200 professionals completed this training in February. Vaccination: WHO supported the Turkish Ministry of Health to check the vaccination status of Syrian children. The Ministry then conducted a vaccination campaign on 15–28 February, immunizing refugee children against measles, diphtheria, tetanus and several other diseases. Mental health: In late February, WHO trained 25 Turkish family physicians in handling mental health issues. After the training, the physicians will receive online clinical supervision and support. 2.8 million Syrian refugees in Turkey 200+ Syrian staff completed practical training 275 000 children reached during vaccination screening Funding Out of a total of US$ 11.8 million needed for its lifesaving work to help Syrian refugees in Turkey in 2017, WHO has received US$ 800 000. Donors WHO programmes in Turkey are funded by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the United States Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), and the governments of China, Kuwait and Norway. “Because the training programme offered us a path to employment, we didn’t risk our children’s lives by going across the sea.” – Syrian nurse Salem “Three months ago, a patient came to the government hospital. I didn’t know which section of the hospital to take him to – muscles? Blood? Finally we found the right one. Now I have a better idea of what to do.” – Abdulrahman, Syrian patient guide, following training The Turkey office of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe serves people in northern Syria as well as Syrian refugees living in Turkey. www.euro.who.int WHO partners reached remote areas of northern Syria to vaccinate half a million children in late February. Cross-border response in northern Syria February 2017 update Vaccination: WHO partners led a polio vaccination campaign in Idleb, Lattakia, Aleppo, Hama and Homs in mid-February. Teams vaccinated 559 011 children against the disabling disease, despite escalating violence in some areas. Medical supplies: In February, WHO shipped across the border surgical and trauma kits, stretchers, paramedic first aid bags, intravenous fluid bags, medicines, and blood transfusion sets to 105 facilities in northern Syria. The supplies, shipped across the border from Turkey, are worth US$ 333 326 and will support 133 600 treatments. Preparing for outbreaks: WHO and partners began planning for the hot summer by purchasing additional cholera kits. WHO will give health workers refresher trainings, including a simulation exercise, on how to manage cholera. Noncommunicable diseases: To identify gaps in kidney dialysis services in northern Syria, WHO partners developed and distributed a 3-page questionnaire to 24 dialysis centres. WHO also created a leaflet on how to ensure that previously shipped insulin is kept cold during delivery, storage and use. The leaflet will be distributed in Arabic to partners together with the insulin. Planning for the future: Expert consultants and partners created detailed plans for rehabilitating Syria’s second- and third-level health care system if peace comes. Challenges to access: Training sessions on trauma management, noncommunicable diseases and mental health were postponed due to delays in approvals for participants’ cross-border travel. “You need 10 years to produce a doctor. Syria’s health system will need a long time to rebuild.” – Dr David Lai, WHO Health Cluster Coordinator 47 tonnes of medical supplies sent 559 011 children vaccinated 6 verified attacks on health care Funding Out of a revised total of US$ 63 million needed for its work in northern Syria in 2017, WHO has received US$ 7 924 739. Donors WHO programmes for northern Syria are funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) (United Kingdom), European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) pooled funds, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the governments of China, Kuwait and Norway.