Suspension of Sanitation Services in Northern Syria Camps Threaten a Health Crisis
(AWP) - The decline of donations made by countries and humanitarian organisations in northwest Syria is causing a health crisis at camps for displaced people, particularly those scattered across Idlib’s countryside.
Garbage removal and sewage services have been suspended in around 188 camps, leading to the accumulation of garbage among the tents and the emergence of makeshift dumps that are causing the proliferation and spread of mosquitoes and flies.
Um Khaled, a displaced Syrian who fled to the camps in Idlib from rural Hama, complained that garbage has not been collected for months.
She said that the situation in the camp has become critical due to the abundance of flies and mosquitoes, which is spreading diseases, especially among children.
Ahmed Hassoun, an official responsible for a camp for displaced Syrians, says that about 300 families are suffering amidst piles of garbage that has been accumulating for over two months, and warns that the situation will worsen during the summer heat.
According to Mohammed al-Haj Ahmed, Director of the Water and Sanitation Department at the Ministry of Development, the amount of donations made by organisations supporting the displaced in northern Syria has plummeted to one-sixth of their previous levels, which has affected the provision of clean water and garbage disposal services in the camps.
He described the situation as “catastrophic,” adding that approximately 171,015 people from about 34,200 families in 188 camps are suffering from the lack of sanitation and sewage services.