Doctors Without Borders say Syrians’ access to medical care ‘at risk’

AMMAN — International medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has urged the international community to scale-up healthcare funding for Syrian refugees in the region and make it “a priority”, an MSF statement said.

Ahead of the Brussels conference on Syria, MSF stressed that the recent decision to increase public healthcare fees for Syrian refugees could impact their access to healthcare and lead to increased vulnerability.

The February cancellation of subsidised healthcare services for Syrian refugees living in Jordan means that they now have to pay 80 per cent of the “foreigner rate”, a two- to five-fold increase of the cost of public healthcare.

“We are concerned that Syrian families could start to de-prioritise seeking healthcare for themselves or their family members because of other needed living expenses, such as paying rent. As adaptive measures, Syrians may resort to self-medication or other alternative less costly means that could be inadequate or even harmful,” said Brett Davis, MSF’s head of mission in Jordan.