WHO supports Syria's first specialized burns unit

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported Syria's first specialized burns unit to meet growing need for treatment. Last July, the WHO established the country's first specialized burns unit at al-Mouwassat hospital in Damascus. Al-Mouwassat hospital receives between 15 and 17 burns cases each week. "The number of burns patients has increased since the beginning of the conflict," says Dr Khalid, head of the new unit. "The high volume of patients resulted in insufficiency in medicines and medical supplies." In addition to six intensive care unit (ICU) beds and two ICU ventilators, WHO has provided specialized burn kits, life-saving medicines, equipment and medical supplies to meet the needs of 15 000 people suffering from burns, the WHO said in a statement. Across Syria, the health situation continues to deteriorate with shortages of medicines and medical workers, destruction of health facilities and difficulties in accessing health care, it added. In the first seven months of 2013, UN and nongovernmental health agencies in Syria provided emergency medical supplies to treat more than 2 million people, under the leadership of WHO. More than 3.7 million people have been reached with health services, medicines or other medical supplies.