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Syrian refugees overwhelming Jordan

17/03/2019 admin

Within four months it will be “impossible” to meet the medical demands of the ballooning number of Syrian refugees in Jordan unless the international community steps in, a charity leader says.

Jordan’s limited resources are struggling to meet their needs in the wake of 1.3 million people fleeing the conflict in Syria with as many as 70,000 refugees crossing into the country every month.

There has been a 624.4 per cent rise in the number of Syrian patients who have used the services offered by Caritas Jordan at seven facilities across the country in the first three quarters of this year, according to figures released by the charity – the partner of the British agency Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF).

Wael V Suleiman, executive director of Caritas Jordan, said: “The problem with Jordan is that resources are so limited.

“In the public sector there are around only 40 hospitals for at least three million Jordanian people and today we are talking about 500,000 Iraqi refugees, 900,000 Egyptians and 1.3 million Syrians and with limited medical services I think we are talking about a big problem for Jordan.

“The problem is not about today, we are talking about 60,000 to 70,000 Syrians every month coming to Jordan.

“I believe that even if today we can manage the situation I believe in the next three to four months it will be impossible to cover these medical services to the Syrian people.

“A solution should be there, I don’t know what but some solution may be next month in Geneva,” he said in reference to international peace talks due to take place.

Caritas Jordan and SCIAF are members of the global confederation of 165 Catholic organisations Caritas Internationalis making up one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid networks.