The food shortage, fueled by the current epidemic, has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and observers say the worst is yet to come, in conflict-torn countries. UN officials and aid workers based in Syria said that this situation could deepen the humanitarian crisis in the country after nearly a decade of conflict.
Worsening crises provide a grim model for the long-term epidemiological effects on the humanitarian situation, in conflict-torn areas, such as South Sudan, Yemen and the African coast, where governments and aid organizations may face trade-offs between closures that exacerbate food shortages, or tackle food shortages with the risk of more Infection.
To make matters worse, the global economic slowdown, caused by the emerging Corona virus, has already exacerbated food shortages around the world. International aid agencies expect 2020 to be one of the worst years in global food insecurity, due to a combination of climate change and conflict. After the outbreak, the number of people expected to face severe hunger worldwide has doubled, from 135 million to 265 million, according to the World Food Program.
Syria bears the brunt of these interconnected crises. According to the program, more than half of the country's total population of about 17 million have been classified as food insecure, an increase of 1.4 million, since the beginning of the year. "2.2 million more people may face a potential food shortage," said the United Nations director of humanitarian affairs, Mark Lockock, adding, "The number of people in need is increasing."
"There was a storm of climate change and conflict, which made Syria one of the most food insecure countries in the world," said Caitlin Welch, director of the World Food Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Continuing: "This makes the bad situation worse."
The rebel-held northwest of Syria is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, as attacks by government forces, backed by Russia, have displaced more than half a million people this year. But, the director of policy and communications for Oxfam, in Damascus, Matt Hemsley, says the situation is getting worse in the government-controlled areas, “as people are increasingly talking about the dangers they face from hunger. This leads people to the edge of the abyss. ” “There are reports that people take totally desperate measures, and they talk to us, and they tell us that they collect, cook, and then eat weeds,” said Hemsley. “This is what people do if they are desperate.”
What could help the most vulnerable groups in Syria, in the short term, are more international food shipments, more visits to food distribution centers or markets, and more interaction with aid workers. This requires travel and personal interaction, although health experts have warned against this to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This leaves humanitarian workers fighting for a grim barter, either to fight hunger or to fight "corona."
Destructive infrastructure
At the present time, the number of deaths reported as a result of "Covid-19" reported in Syria is still low, according to official data. The WHO recorded 372 confirmed cases and 14 deaths in the country, as of July 7. But the damaged health infrastructure, the living conditions that make social separation difficult, and the low test rate, mean that the number is likely to be much higher. Poor healthcare infrastructure may not be able to cope with widespread disease outbreaks. The Health Organization estimates that more than half of the hospitals and health centers, in Syria, are not operating due to the war. There are only 1,400 hospital beds, and 250 beds in intensive care, according to data from the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, a non-profit group that tracks the crisis in Syria.
An international donor conference raised $ 5.5 billion last month, provided by the United States, the European Union, Germany and other countries, for humanitarian aid in Syria, this year. And $ 2.2 billion to respond to crises in 2021. Washington has pledged $ 696 million in new humanitarian aid, and, according to a spokesperson for the United States Agency for International Development, Puja Jununwala, more than $ 31 million has been earmarked specifically for Syrians to fight the coronavirus. But Russia is preventing the reopening of an important border crossing for humanitarian aid.
The new boom in funds offers a lifeline to Syrians caught between conflict and the epidemic and food shortages. But Lockook said that even with increased fundraising for Syria, that may not be enough, given the Corona crisis, even if aid can actually be delivered. "Although there is a cross-border operation to transport food, medicine and other supplies, the scale of the need is preventing all Syrians' basic needs, through this program, from being met at the moment," he said.
Many countries were severely affected by the virus and spent hundreds of billions of dollars to deal with the health crisis, mostly on health care and economic stimulus. Syria, like other poor and conflict-ridden countries, cannot afford any economic setbacks. This means that there is likely to be much waiting.
"There is an alarming possibility of a really bad situation, in many countries within six months," said Lockoc. "There is a risk of multiple famines, and a significant increase in deaths, with deteriorating health services," he added.
Persistent difficulties
Syria has many problems, including persistent difficulties in food production and distribution, after agriculture was one of the pillars of the Syrian economy, before the war. The conflict has resulted in a major imbalance in supply and supply. Even when food is on the shelves, Syrians do not have enough to spend on it. Syria has also suffered setbacks, due to years of drought caused by climate change, including severe drought, which may have helped start the uprising, 10 years ago. Then there is the economic disaster in neighboring Lebanon, which is the main channel of banking for the war-torn Syrian economy.
Syria is suffering from persistent difficulties in producing and distributing food, after agriculture was one of the pillars of the Syrian economy, before the war.
What could help the most vulnerable groups in Syria, in the short term, is more international food shipments and more interaction with aid workers.
1400
A hospital bed in Syria, only, according to unofficial data.
5.5
Billions of dollars, provided by donor countries to Syria.