On January 3, 2019, a newborn died in Al-Rukban camp, at the Syrian-Jordanian borders[1], of neonatal jaundice after the UNICEF medical point[2] known as ‘Aoun Point’ refused to treat her, as a witness reported to STJ.
The activist Emad Ghali who was present in Al-Rukban camp on January 3, 2019, said to STJ:
“The seven-day-old baby Mal Al-Sham Abdullah Al-Arandas died of jaundice despite her parents’ repeated attempts to get her into the UNICEF medical point, in the Jordanian side, which continued to refuse her entry for three consecutive days.”
Ghali added that the medical point already refused to treat a 4-month-old baby called Khadija Karim Al-Mutlaq who was suffering severe diarrhea and febrile seizure which led to her death on December 6, 2018, the same day that the point refused to admit the pregnant lady (Kh. A.) who had a severe bleeding and a placental abruption led to the death of her fetus.
Earlier on November 3, 2018, the United Nations sent an aid convoy to Al-Rukban camp and conducted a vaccination campaign for children. However, the convoy didn't include any vital or generic medicines.
IDPs in Al-Rukban camp are living under dire humanitarian conditions amidst the complete absence of medical care which leads to many deaths among women and children.
STJ has already prepared news and reports on the camp situation[3].
[1] Al-Rukban camp is located at the Syrian-Jordanian borders. It is an informal camp in the Syrian side within the demilitarized zone between Syria and Jordan. The camp has no specific geometric shape since it was unplanned and established by the IDPs without the auspices of any civil bodies. The camp’s population estimated 50.000, this number increases or decreases depending on the fighting intensity in eastern and central Syria and the movement of IDPs from and to the camp, according to sources responsible for statistics and documentation inside the camp.
[2] The medical point is 3 kilometers away from the camp and situated at the Jordanian earthen berm between Syria and Jordan and known as 'Aoun' point. All the staff members are Jordanian.
[3] "Having No Access to Medication, 3 IDPs died During October 2018", STJ, 9 October 2018; https://stj-sy.org/en/view/842 (Last edit: 29 October 2018)
"Sharp Deterioration of the Medical Situation in al-Rukban Camp- Jordan Denies Entry of Patients for Cure", STJ, 23 July 2018; https://www.stj-sy.org/en/view/639 (Last edit: 29 October 2018)
"Newborn Dies in the Rukban Camp Due to Lack of Medical Care", STJ, 21 September 2018, https://www.stj-sy.org/en/view/916 (Last edit: 29 October 2018)