MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The civil war between the Syrian government troops and numerous opposition and terrorist organizations started on March 15, 2011. According to UN data, there are 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria, and over $3 billion is required to supply these people with life-saving aid in 2017.
"On this sad anniversary of the start of war in Syria and before more lives are lost, WHO calls for systematic and unhindered access to all areas to deliver life-saving medicines, vaccines and medical supplies," Executive Director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program Peter Salama was quoted as saying in the WHO statement.
According to the statement, many health care workers fled, half of the hospitals and health centers were either destroyed or partly functioning, while the remaining facilities lacked water, electricity and medical supplies.
"Accessing functioning health facilities has become a challenge for most people in the Syrian Arab Republic, regardless of where they live. In spite of the current ceasefire, WHO and its partners have not yet been able to regularly access communities in hard-to-reach areas," the statement read.
However, the WHO still tries to assist the health care facilities with medicines and supplies, staff training.
