Ministry of Health Denies lies on Preventing Medicine Distribution and Hygiene Supplies for children in Maadamieh town

DAMASCUS,(ST)_ The Ministry of Health has denounced falsehoods stated by UNICEF, on “preventing the distribution of medicine and hygiene supplies for nearly ten thousand children living in the town of Maadamieht al- Sham in rural Damascus within aid convoys, which entered the town on July 16, and after,” according to a statement reported by the UN News Centre.

In a statement yesterday, the ministry deplored these new lies which “defy logic and truth,” reaffirming the dedication of its staff to deliver vaccines and medical supplies to all children in Syria, indicating that so far dozens of health workers were martyred while delivering health care services, including immunization services for children.

The ministry said that UN statement contains a clear structural defect, wondering “How come that Maadamieht Sham inhabits nearly 20 thousand people,” as stated in the statement “, including 9200 children in need of vaccines and how the Syrian government allows the delivery of food and milk for children and prevents drugs and vaccines for children, at a time the ministry requested during  a joint meeting held on July 9, attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and United Nations agencies to expand the list of drugs needed for Maadamieht al- Sham to include TB drugs, Malta fever, flu medicines and chronic diseases, especially diabetes and other drugs and vaccines.

The statement added that the ministry also proposed the introduction of two medical clinics in the area to provide health care services to the citizens, especially the most vulnerable patients and children who are still inside the city, in cooperation with the Syrian Red Crescent.

The ministry continued that medical aids shipment, which entered Maadamieh on July 16 included 2,400 doses of vaccine provided by the Syrian Red Crescent, including 1000 doses against polio and 1,400 doses of measles vaccines, “TB – quadruple – vaccine Quintet – women tetanus with 1700 syringes and 2000 doses of vitamin A for children.

The Ministry viewed such statements as full forging of facts, especially that the statement intentionally ignored care services provided to residents of the area who were displaced by the armed terrorist groups from Maadamieht al- Sham, noting that all primary health care and nutrition services are provided to them, for free.

” Such false statements that are released on the basis of media reports funded by terrorism itself” will not undermine the dedication of workers in the health sector from providing health needs for all Syrians, without exception, especially for children,” the statement stressed.

The ministry stressed full readiness to cooperate with all international health organizations and local organizations, the private sector, particularly the Red Crescent to meet any service request in both Maadamieht al- Sham or other Syrian areas.

T. Fateh