After 13 years of crisis, most Syrians face a context of continuing humanitarian decline. The country has one of the largest populations of internally displaced people in the world, with millions of people in need since the beginning of the crisis.
Humanitarian and economic indicators continue to deteriorate, while basic services are collapsing.
Within the heart of Dair Al Bukht, Daraa’s governorate in southern Syria, many people have faced tremendous challenges during the ongoing conflict.
Essential health service infrastructure, such as hospitals and health centers in Syria, is in a state of deterioration, requiring extensive maintenance and rehabilitation to provide a minimum level of service delivery.
The healthcare system in Daraa has been significantly strained, leaving many communities without access to the basic medical services they desperately need.
Aisha Al Zoubi, a 68-year-old woman from Dair Al Bukht, has experienced hardship and sorrow throughout her life. Her family lost everything when they were forced to flee their village in 2014 due to violent conflicts. When they eventually returned, they encountered severe emotional and financial difficulties. Aisha became a farmer to supplement her husband’s small retirement income and to help provide for their six children. The unexplained loss of one of their children added to the family’s distress and left an emptiness that affected them all.
Then, Aisha’s health started to decline. Her breathing difficulties, poor nutrition and persistent exhaustion were all signs of the physical and psychological toll that adversity had taken on her.
To help the community in Dair Al Bukht and the surrounding areas to overcome the challenges of accessing healthcare in Syria, International Medical Corps—with the support of the European Union—deployed mobile medical teams (MMTs) to offer support and healing to those experiencing health issues, emotional upheaval and financial uncertainty.
Aisha first visited our MMT in her hometown in December 2022, and was examined, diagnosed and treated by our experienced Internist within the team. She was diagnosed with severe hypertension that was complicated by emerging heart failure.
She began a course of treatment with two antihypertensive drugs that helped restore her normal blood pressure in one month. Her symptoms of shortness of breath and exhaustion have improved gradually, leading to improvement in her psychological state. Inspired by the care and compassion she experienced, Aisha now looks forward to the future.
She still visits International Medical Corps’ Internal Medicine Clinic regularly for follow-ups, and to receive her medications for her chronic conditions, free of charge.
