Lack of access to healthcare resulted in the death of an infant in the Rukban camp[1], where the only medical point inside the camp couldn’t provide him the appropriate treatment due to its limited means, while the UNICEF medical point[2] delayed accepting him until he died in the evening of October 27, 2018.
Imad Ghali, a local activist and a resident in the camp, narrated to STJ on October 29, 2018:
“The baby boy, Mohammed Turki, was suffering acute hepatitis which caused him severe diarrhea. His parents tried to transfer him to the UNICEF medical point, but they were met by denial, however, he died after a week.”
Ghali added that the UNICIF clinic stopped accepting new patients, due to a sandstorm hit the camp on October 25 and 26.
Babies (under 1 year of age) in the camp haven’t received the routine vaccinations or any other kind of primary health care during the current year.
On October 18, 2018, the United Nation announced receiving the Syrian Gov’s approval for an aid convoy to the Rukban camp in the upcoming days, but it led it postponed later on the 26th the same month.
Regarding this, Fadwa Abed Rabou Baroud, a Damascus-based U.N. official, told Reuters.[3]
"The planned joint U.N.-Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) humanitarian convoy to Rukban camp has been delayed for logistical and security reasons,"
"The U.N. remains ready to deliver aid for the 50,000 people in need as soon as conditions allow," Daroud added.
STJ closely following the situation in the Rukban camp and prepares detailed reports on it. [4]
[1] Al-Rukban camp, located at the Syrian-Jordanian border 5km long and 3km width into the demilitarized zone. Tents in the camp are erected randomly by IDPs with no sponsoring from any civil organizations. The camp’s population estimated 80.000 and their numbers increase or decrease depending on the fighting intensity in eastern and central Syria, according to statistical and documentation officials in the camp.
[2] The medical point is about 3 km away from Al-Rukban camp, at the berm on the Syrian-Jordanian border (in the Jordanian side), and all its staff members are from Jordan. It is known as "Awn Point".
[3]" U.N. led aid convoy to Syris's Rukban camp postponed: U.N. official", Reuters, October 26, 2018. https://eng.reuters.com/article/topNews/idARAKCN1N01WX
[4] "Deaths from Lack of Medical Care in Al-Rukban Camp", STJ, October 9, 2018, https://stj-sy.org/en/view/842
"Sharp Deterioration of the Medical Situation in al-Rukban Camp- Jordan Denies Entry of Patients for Cure", STJ, June 23, 2018, https://stj-sy.org/en/view/640
"A Child Dead in Al-Rukban Camp due to Lack of Medical Care", STJ, September 21, 2018, https://stj-sy.org/en/view/776 .