A patient during a dialysis session.
Doha, Qatar: With the support of Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have concluded the Supporting Health Access and Referral Pathways (SHARP) project for Syrian refugees in Jordan, with the aim of ensuring that refugee patients residing in the Zaatari and Azraq camps have access to specialised, emergency, and life-saving health care services, in line with the principles of universal health coverage and free access to care.
The first component of the project, aimed at supporting dialysis services for Syrian patients in the Zaatari camp (Mafraq Governorate) and the Azraq camp (Zarqa Governorate), has been completed through an executive partnership between QRCS and Jordan National Red Crescent Society (JNRCS).
Over six months, a total of 2,424 dialysis sessions were provided for the benefit of 36 patients with kidney failure. The intervention aimed to reduce mortality rates and serious health complications among the most vulnerable groups, ensure the continuity of treatment for chronic conditions requiring long-term interventions, and promote equitable access to specialised health care services.
In parallel, secondary health care services were provided for 136 patients residing in the target camps over nine months, with essential surgeries performed in the specialisations of general surgery, pediatric surgery, ENT surgery, ophthalmology, urology, and orthopedic surgery.
In coordination with the Jordanian Ministry of Health (MoH) and specialised medical centers, UNHCR completed the second component of the project, which focused on supporting emergency referrals to Jordan’s secondary and tertiary health care system.
UNHCR secured life-saving health care services for 9,022 Syrian refugees, including emergency obstetric and neonatal care, support for patients with chronic diseases facing life-threatening complications, and priority emergency reproductive health interventions.
In the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in northern Jordan, Khaled and Yasmine had a hard time following the birth of their baby, Walid, who suffered from severe breathing difficulties and seizures that required urgent transfer to a hospital outside the camp.
Through the medical referral system supported by UNHCR and funded by QFFD, Walid received the specialised emergency care that helped save his life and stabilise his condition.
