MSF warns of catastrophe in Syria as health system collapses

PARIS: Medical charity Doctors Without Borders said yesterday that Syria’s health system had collapsed after nearly two years of conflict and that foreign aid was falling fall short of what was needed to address the country’s “humanitarian catastrophe.”
The group, known by its French initials MSF, said in a report that more than a third of Syria’s hospitals were no longer functioning and urged talks on allowing for the provision of humanitarian aid.
“Syria’s previously well-functioning health system has collapsed. Food shortages are commonplace, and water and electricity supply are severely disrupted,” MSF said.
“Parties involved in the Syrian conflict must negotiate an agreement on humanitarian aid in order to facilitate delivery from neighboring countries and across front lines,” it said.
The group, known for providing medical care in troubled areas around the world, said that medical services had unfortunately become regular victims of the fighting.
“Medical aid is being targeted, hospitals destroyed, and medical personnel captured,” said MSF’s president, Marie-Pierre Allie.
MSF said international aid was “extremely restricted” in opposition-controlled areas of Syria and that the “capacity of humanitarian organizations to deploy impartial aid throughout Syria must be urgently increased.”
The group said it operates three hospitals in Syria’s opposition-held north, despite a lack of authorization from the Syrian government, and “has witnessed firsthand the insufficient aid response.”
The UN estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed since the start of Syria’s uprising in March 2011 and said this week that about one million had fled the country to escape the violence.
Meanwhile, Syria’s state-run news agency says Israeli spying devices have been found in the country’s coastal region.
SANA’s report yesterday says the devices are designed to photograph, register and transfer data. There were no further details on the objects or the location of the find.
State-run TV aired footage of an object consisting of what looked like a camera and a satellite dish, and other objects that resembled rocks. Plastic boxes resembling batteries and cables were shown lined up in a room.
Syria and Israel are at a state of war and fought several battles over the past.
Israeli warplanes carried out an air raid near Damascus in January. US officials said the target was a convoy of sophisticated Russian SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles. Syria said a research center was hit.
Meanwhile, the main Syrian National Coalition opposition organization will meet in Istanbul on Tuesday to elect a provisional prime minister, coalition members said yesterday.
The decision was made after former premier Riad Hijab, the highest ranking civilian defector since the revolt and the top candidate for the job, withdrew his candidacy, several coalition members told Reuters in Amman. Hijab had run into opposition from har-liner and liberal members of the coalition for his previous ties with Syria's ruling hierarchy.