In the wake of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey on Feb. 6, it’s unclear how many health facilities were damaged, but there are grave concerns rebel-held northwest Syria’s public health systems could be on the brink of collapse.
The health systems in the country’s northwest have been “pulverized” from the 12 years of conflict, said Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, during a press conference on Sunday. This has included physical damage to infrastructure and the exodus of health workers.
“A death by 1,000 cuts to the system,” he said, adding that the major concern for health in the aftermath of the earthquakes is in the northwest area.