The Qatari charity alliance sponsoring the Qatari Fund for Treating Wounded Syrians in Jordan has decided to extend the fund till the end of June to further support Syrian refugees in Jordan, with a $2,054,000 budget to cover the cost of treatment for victims of the Syrian conflict over six months.
The second phase of the fund involves Qatar Red Crescent (QRC), Qatar Charity (QC) and the Organisation of Islamic Call (Aldaawa) - Doha office.
The three organisations seek to redouble efforts and mobilise support for the project to offer adequate healthcare and meet the increasing number of injuries as a result of the five-year Syrian conflict.
Since the launch of its first phase in mid-2013, the project has treated 478 patients with injuries, who underwent more than 700 surgical operations, mostly in the eyes, face and the jaw. The overall budget of the first phase amounted to $1,650,000.
At the end of 2014, the fund managers chose to expand its scope to cover renal patients and Caesarean section cases. Every month, over 600 dialysis sessions are performed for more than 50 patients, in addition to more than 30 Caesarean sections.
The charitable organisations financing the fund assigned the field implementation of the project to QRC in light of its experience in relief action, particularly international-standard medical services and healthcare.
In doing so, QRC signed agreements with some hospitals and specialised medical centres in Jordan to undertake the treatment of wounded Syrians.
This initiative was adopted by the Qatari charities in response to the poor medical capabilities inside Syria and the lack of medical equipment, medication and medical care necessary for complicated cases, which resulted in high mortality rates among the patients. Even those who survived suffer from circumstances that negatively affect their health and psychological conditions. Many patients have to flee Syria on long, difficult and hazardous journeys.
Prior to the establishment of the fund, QRC individually initiated in 2012 a project to treat wounded Syrians, with a $500,000 budget. After the success of the project, another phase was launched in co-operation with QC, with a $1.7mn budget. The phase covered more than 1,000 cases.
At the end of 2013, the Qatari Fund for Treating Wounded Syrians in Jordan was established under the supervision of QRC, together with Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF) and Aldaawa.
Costing $1,650,000 from February 2014 until now, this medical programme significantly alleviated the suffering of Syrians with serious spinal, head, neurological and vascular injuries.