November 6, 2024
Malnutrition, including stunting, wasting, and deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, severely impacts children’s growth, cognitive development, and overall health. In Northwest Syria (NWS), malnutrition has escalated dramatically, now affecting nearly 5% of children in 2023—a threefold increase since 2019, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Over 506,000 children under five in Idleb and northern Aleppo urgently need treatment.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) is working tirelessly to support these vulnerable populations. Yet, reduced international funding and recent regional challenges, including the influx of returnees from Lebanon, have placed an even greater strain on limited resources. This urgent situation calls for renewed commitment from donors and the international community to prioritize support for malnutrition interventions, crucial to preventing disease outbreaks and long-term developmental issues in children.
SAMS remains committed to delivering essential health and nutrition services in NWS, prioritizing severe acute malnutrition, moderate acute malnutrition, and care for pregnant and lactating women. SAMS programs include malnutrition screenings, growth monitoring, micronutrient supplementation, and education on infant and young child feeding practices. SAMS supports hospitals and healthcare centers and provides community outreach via mobile health teams. However, consistent funding is imperative to sustain and expand these critical efforts.
One story exemplifying SAMS’ life-saving work is that of Miral Fayez, a seven-month-old girl from a displaced family in rural Deir ez-Zor. Miral’s mother, Noor, noticed her baby’s declining health due to severe malnutrition and brought her to the Mokhtala Health Center. With SAMS’ help, Miral received essential care, and Noor gained crucial guidance on feeding and health support. Miral’s recovery has brought hope to her family, and Noor shared her gratitude, saying, “You gave my baby life again.” Miral’s journey underscores the critical need for sustained investment in malnutrition treatment to save young lives.
The nutrition service that saved Miral’s life at Mokhtala Health Center is the only one available in Ras Al-Ain and its surroundings. Like Miral, countless other children need urgent help and expanded services to safeguard their lives and secure the future of the next generation. We urge donors and the international community to prioritize support for these essential services and expand them to reach more individuals in Ras Al-Ain and beyond, alleviating the suffering caused by malnutrition.
To learn more about SAMS’ efforts to combat malnutrition in NWS, please read our 2024 Malnutrition Report.
