Dr. Al Khatib Meets with PRCS’ Staff in Damascus

PRCS’ President Dr. Younis Al Khatib met on the 17th of March,2014 with PRCS’ staff in Damascus. The meeting discussed humanitarian services provided to Palestinian refugees in Syria in general and in Al Yarmouk Camp and neighboring areas in particular. Participants also discussed urgent needs in terms of the provision and delivery of medicine and medical equipment and supplies to Palestinians stranded in the Camp. PRCS’ staff in Syria also spoke about humanitarian efforts made to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian refugees in Homs Refugee Camp through PRCS’ Hospital and clinics in the city as well as through Yaffa Surgical Hospital in Al Mazzeh (Damascus).

Al Khatib also met with officials from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) in order to coordinate efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of Palestinians and Syrians alike, to unite relief and medical efforts and to ensure that milk and vaccines for children, especially polio vaccines, reach those in need. Moreover, Dr. Al Khatib met with the ICRC head of delegation in Damascus whom he urged to intervene rapidly to ease the suffering of Palestinians stranded in Al Yarmouk, to ensure access to humanitarian aid convoys carrying food and medicine, and to transport sick children and elderly persons to hospitals.

Dr. Al Khatib had arrived in Syria on the 16th of March and had met with a number of Palestinian officials in the country. He was briefed about the tragic situation there as well as about means to overcome obstacles preventing the delivery of aid to Palestinian refugees not only in Al Yarmouk but in all Palestinian refugee camps in Syria.

It is to be noted that PRCS provides health and social services to around 620 000 Palestinian refugees in Syria via several hospitals, clinics and health and social centers.